Unification: An Empire of Sol

[Makkovar]

Unification

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Table of Contents:
Prologue Part 1: Unification
Prologue Part 2: The Three Proclamations (2192-2201)
Chapter 1: Alone in the Dark (2201-2204)
Chapter 2: Death Merchants (2204-2208)
Chapter 3: First Contact (2209-2213)
Chapter 4: Ivan's Isolationism (2214-2223)

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Greetings, Earthlings!
So... I had a few ideas for an AAR for Stellaris, and in fact already got started on a different one. However, the game currently has a minor bug which happened to defeat some of the point of that project, making me cancel it for the time being. So, instead, I decided to go for a very vanilla campaign and a more traditional kind of story: the story of humanity and their first steps into the interstellar void.

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I play Paradox games for the stories they create. That means, usually, that I don't hesitate to use the console to tag-switch, mitigate some of the more immersion-breaking AI behaviours or push an empire's actions in a particular direction. I DO NOT use it to help my own empire win, however. If this turns out to be the story of humanity's fall, so be it. In fact, that might mean a more interesting read! I'm not much for min-maxing either. I like to take time and observe the goings-on outside of my own nation.
All that said, however, I have yet to find myself in need of intervening through console commands in Stellaris. I'm pretty happy with how the game progresses, at least into the mid-game, at which point I usually can't wait to just start another campaign. ^^' On the other hand, this might be because, compared to the historical games like EUIV, Stellaris feels relatively poor/barebones in diplomatic options and empires which are further away seem to rarely interact with yours at all. That means I don't often remember who all the peoples of the galaxy even are, let alone know about their histories and relations. One of my aims while writing this AAR will be to slow down to take notes, try to take my time, describe all of the events and species I cross paths with so that I actually notice and remember all of them - for my own increased enjoyment.

The game settings:

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Hopefully I won't get my ass kicked too badly.

 

[HIMDogson]

Should be interesting. I see my preferred ideology won out in this version of humanity?

 

[Makkovar]

Prologue Part 1: Unification​

The great fires of the Unification Wars finally died down in 2165 AD. For over 40 years, Earth has been plunging deeper and deeper down a catastrophically destructive path into an abyss. At its beginning, the period had been called by some by a more familiar name, World War III, according to their expectations of what would happen. That is not a fitting term, however, as there had never been just two or three major sides to unite the warring states, and no enormous fronts ever formed that could delineate a time frame for one great conflict taking place throughout. At least, not until the very end.
Throughout the 21st century, imperialist and nationalistic sentiments were dying out in a connected, globalized world. Hegemons of the past now recognized the rights of nations to self-determination. At the century's beginning there had been less than 200 sovereign states recognized on the world stage. At its end, there were more than 300, coexisting peacefully, often connected in loose trade alliances. Nobody truly expected what would follow.
The forward march of science and environmentalism did not manage to save human civilization from using up its own sources of energy, such as fossil fuels. As they started to suddenly dry up at the start of the 22nd century, old rivalries over territory sprang back to life. Big nations with large populations and, conversly, more need for resources, started to annex smaller ones, often those they so generously granted independence in the first place, all just so they can redistribute the resources and make good on their promises of continued prosperity for just a little longer. The strong conquered weaker neighbours in order to "protect their economic interests." Suffice to say, such policies did not help the larger issue, or keep the minorties happy. The UN's greatest contributors could not afford to reprimand their rivals on methods they themselves were forced to use, and the organization virtually ceased to exist. Soon, all the greatest nations found themselves in the middle of several conflicts over regions of particular interest.

Picture credit: Aisxos​

As it happened, the dictatorial leadership of Lower Russia found themselves in particular trouble from their disappointed, impoverished citizenry. To stay in power, they discovered one effective method: to play on the people's ambitions, on their latent nationalistic pride and a need to belong. Calling back to traditions long past, the dictator Alexandr Zhirov pronounced himself Emperor Alexandr I and promised his people a great, imperial future if they stand together. Propaganda campaigns of the state changed their tone dramatically, suddenly inviting to proudly take up old traditions, to seek comfort in faith and pride in the Emperor, and calling back to a long-forgotten Pan-Slavic ideology. And, as it happened, with the Empire's neighbours already weak or abandoned by would-be allies, the realization of this dream was not far at all. With Eastern Europe at his feet, Alexandr I became the true ruler of the newborn Slavic Empire.

​

He quickly realized that Europe was too poor in natural resources to solve his citizen's problems, however. With the nation extatic with the unexpectedly swift victories, he had time to quell rebel elements and plan for next conquests. Throughout the 2150s, the Empire went on a truly unprecedented campaign of conquest against Earth's exhausted and resigned nations, while the Imperial mainland remained invigorated by their state's success. By the time the 2160s rolled around, there had been nobody strong enough to oppose the united forces of the Empire, provided it does not in fact fall apart from the inside. The world's Imperial future had been sealed when the USA dropped the atomic bomb over Beijing, crippling the Slavs' main competitor while alienating themselves on the world stage. In 2165, the last bastions of democracy finally surrendered unconditionally.

Picture credit: MatLatArt​

At last, Alexandr I had to prove his ability as an Emperor during peacetime and to make good on his promises of prosperity. With humanity mostly united, Imperial administration began to enact plans for sustainability. Their task was made that much easier by the fact that the world's population dropped by several billion over the last four decades. Access to energy and consumer goods had to be restricted and rationed. Throughout the next generation, a certain kind of meritocratic mentality developed, as those with unique accomplishments and those who could use the resources for the greater good of the collective had privileged access; and a new caste of formal nobility established themselves around the Imperial court. The state promoted a tradition of martial prowess and pride in the army which united mankind and brought order, expanding its arms to keep rebel elements in check. A secret police got established early in the state's life, and it is only thanks to that ruthless organization that no coup ever broke the planet apart again. Alexandr would bring humanity peace and a future, and he would make sure that none can stop him from doing so by any means necessary.
Most of humanity were not happy, but they were resigned. Imperial policies, however cruel, could not be worse than several decades of conflict and uncertainty. That uncertainty got replaced by a kind of bleak routine at first, but followed by a slow but steady increase in quality of life as the entire planet's remaining resources were pulled to rebuild lost infrastructure.
As another means of controlling the populace, the Empire encourages spiritual activities. There is no state religion, and no persecuted faiths, but the Empire has pushed strongly and successfully for matters of state and the figure of the Emperor to be included in ritual: prayers for the Emperor's well-being, the Emperor depicted as a Buddha figure and many more ways for the state to infiltrate religious life.

Alexandr I took his responsibility to the human race seriously. Whatever fabrications he devised as President, there is no doubt he started to believe during his reign as Emperor. It was clear to him that mankind's woes cannot be helped even with the power he extorted. However, he knew exactly where he would find the solution...

 

[Makkovar]

Well, that turned out twice as long as I anticipated We will get to gameplay next time!

 

[Taintedtamt]

I'm interested to see how you'll blend the story and gameplay together but colour me intrigued anyway.

 

[Makkovar]

Prologue Part 2: The Three Proclamations​

In 2192, Alexandr I finally got the breakthrough he had been waiting for ever since he unified the planet. A Mexico City-based scientist working with what was left of the NASA, dr Nikolai Gorov, managed to artificially copy a spacetime-warping effect similar to what had been theorized to happen in a black hole's singularity, allowing for faster-than-light transportation of matter. At this point, the process proved destructive for the matter in question, but with the new understanding of spacetime achieved by Gorov, it was only a matter of time before a protective field could be developed and tested to allow real FTL travel.
Having received the scientist's report, Alexandr I addressed humanity in a planet-wide broadcast. The years since 2165 have been busy for the Imperial administration: maintaining order, cracking down on anti-monarchist rebellions, unifying the laws and governance systems of Earth's many nations. Now, the Emperor spoke of his great vision and hope for the future. Announcing dr Gorov's findings, he spoke of humanity's destiny as rulers of not only the Solar system, but of all the stars themselves, promising the untapped resources of all the celestial bodies of the Cosmos to bring prosperity to all his subjects. With that, he proclaimed the founding of the United Solar Empire with himself at its throne. Soon afterwards, an Imperial Constitution was presented which would apply for all of humanity. All humans now had their basic rights and freedoms codified in a single document, but the constitution allowed for the military and a few other instutuions to exert a lot of power over the citizenry, and operate with great autonomy in times of emergency. While a single-chamber Senate of Terra was established as the Empire's legislative body, the Emperor could very well rule by decrees and override the Senate's rulings.

Our policies​

The Emperor still had more to announce. As his first decree, he replaced the disparate and decrepid scientific organizations of the planet now called "Terra" with a single, centrally controlled Imperial Scientific Association, pulling all of humanity's greatest talents together. The Association had three main branches. The first was the Imperial Institute of Astrophysics with its HQ at the site of Gorov's discovery, Mexico City. The Institute's overt goal was to improve the odds of interstellar travel and to carry out research into the uses of any materials and phenomena humanity was bound to discover. At first, the Institute was headed by dr Gorov himself, but soon an unfortunate accident deprived the Empire of his invaluable service and a dr Florencia Garcia was selected to finish his life's work.
The Imperial Institute of Engineering, based in Berlin and under the guidance of Countess dr Marie Helzgard was to provide insight into the structure and materials the Empire's FTL-capable vessels would require.
The Hong Kong-based Imperial Institute of Sociology under Count dr You Wu was established to predict and study the societal effects of prolonged space travel and alien environments would have on research missions and, eventually, on colonists. The Institute of Sociology also headed research in its departments of xenobiology and psychology.

Garcia, Wu and Helzgard​

Finally, Alexandr I spoke of the need to consider the possible dangers of this grand undertaking, and assured his subjects that he would not stand to leave them unprotected. Therefore, he announced the founding of a new branch of Imperial Military - the Imperial Solar Navy. Soon, he promised, Earth (Terra!) would be defended from any extraterrestial threats, be it potential other sentients or stray astral bodies.Thus, under the newly established Solar Admiralty and with the aid of the Institute of Engineering, a whole system of military and crisis-averting operations in the void of space was devised and a chain of command implemented.

Soon, research into working "Warp engines" (also "Gorov Engines") was complete. The first great challenge for Terra's engineers was to construct an orbital station where the first generations of FTL-capable vessels could be constructed off-planet, so that they would not need to be launched from the surface, which would require for conventional fuel to be made room for in the large ships. This project culminated in 2198 as the Imperial Space Station officially began operations. In a grandiose manner, the launch of the Solar Survey Project using the newly designed Science Vessel and of the first naval fleet was set to mark the beginning of the 23rd century - a new century for a unified humanity.
However, Alexandr I did not live to see his dream realized. Humanity's first Emperor died in the summer of 2199, just six months before the launch of the project. The throne was ascended by the Emperor's only son, Ivan I Zhirov.

Emperor Ivan I
​

In his inaugural speech, Ivan I referenced the grand promises his father had made and vowed to fullfill every last one. At the eve of the space project's launch, the people finally had the hope and fervour to believe in a brighter future. Riding the wave of his father's achievements, Ivan I managed to truly become a favourite of the people, assuring public order and an unchallenged coronation. At the same time, though, he treated any last pockets of resistance left on Terra with all the ruthlessness of the previous age, making a point of maintaining order and unity with an iron fist and never showing weakness.
Finally, the day had come for the survey mission of Sol to begin. Grand terrestrial celebrations being held below, the Admiralty unveiled the first vessels to carry humans deep into the void. HMS Kardashev, the Enlightenment-class science vessel to carry out the scans and measurements within the Solar system, had been placed under the command of Science Officer Count Tony Dillard, another great mind with a background in geology and archeology. A Forge-class orbital construction ship, HMS Labourer, had been equipped to construct mining facilities for extraction of any useful resources the syrvey mission might find.

HMS Kardashev under Count Tony Dillard leaving Terra behind. The Imperial capital of Moscow is within the shot's frame.
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Finally, with the biggest fanfare, the people of Terra were shown their new protectors: the Solar Defense Fleet consisting of three Defender-class corvettes. Stationed in orbit of Terra under the command of Lady-Admiral Renate Sauer, these ships equipped with mass driver technology and requiring a crew of several dozen each seemed a superflous show of strength to the people at that time. The ships were christened HMS Gagarin, HMS Korolev and, the Navy's flagship and headquarters of Lady-Admiral Sauer, the HMS Alexandr.

First generation Defender-class Corvette
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The Solar Survey Project took the better part of the following two years and its findings were being followed by the public with utmost attention. Dillard and his crew discovered vast amounts of usable raw materials in the asteroid belt and in the crust of Venus, and HMS Labourer set right to devising methods of extracting them. More importantly, gaseous substances in the upper layers of Jupiter and Neptune's atmospheres were found to be excellent sources of energy. At last, humanity had access a real surplus of safe energy resources. The extraction of these became of the highest priority to the state. The public became nearly extatic over the predictions of infrastructural growth and promises of more liberal economic policies.
The mission turned up things even more fascinating for the scientific community. Routine scans of Mars' surface proved that the planet, for centuries believed to be seismically dead, is in fact in a constant state of upheaval just beneath the surface. HMS Kardashev was not yet equipped to allow for a close investigation of phenomena of that scale yet, however.
The more astounding discovery was that of a gigantic skeleton on the surface of Jupiter's moon, Callisto. What had always been taken for a rock formation, only on closer inspection of its chemical composition showed its true nature. The proof had finally been found, before even leaving the Solar system: extraterrestrial life was a reality.

 

[HIMDogson]

What are the succession policies of this Empire? Absolute Primogemiture?

 

[Yenzen]

Isn't there a pretty hefty opinion modifier for xenoslavery if you're only regular xenophobic instead of fanatically so?

 

[Makkovar]

Isn't there a pretty hefty opinion modifier for xenoslavery if you're only regular xenophobic instead of fanatically so?

There is a -10 from what I remember. But then, I already get a -20 for being "Xenophobic bigots".

 

[Yenzen]

There is a -10 from what I remember. But then, I already get a -20 for being "Xenophobic bigots".

I mean, your own pops happiness.

I remember being frustrated about it in a MP game before solving all of my problems by reforming to become a divine mandate.

Just a fair warning, gameplay wise not being fanatic, or combining it with decadence or collectivism will cause friction from ethics drift.

It makes for a good story of course, beating the bleeding hearts senseless.

 

[Makkovar]

Ooh, I see, when you actually have slaves then yeah, being normal Xenophobic would still give you 50% of the normal happiness hit. But then, it depends on how you mix your pops. If you have slaves on a conquered world of only aliens then I *THINK* only pops on that world get the hit, which depends on the ethics of that species anyway. So, it still depends on the situation.

That said, I only enslaved with a Fanatically Xenophobic species before, so I'll be learning the mechanics as well.

 

[Makkovar]

Chapter 1: Alone in the Dark​

The Solar Survey Project concluded in August of 2201. In just these short two years, the Empire's energy sustainability problems had been virtually solved. The regime enjoyed unprecedented levels of popular support just for that, and the discovery of a spaceborne organism's remains on Callisto helped fuel the fearmongering campaigns of the state, emphasizing the need for a strong, unifying government for protection from extraterrestrial threats. Voices critical of the expenditures needed to maintain the defense fleet were growing silent.
Emperor Ivan I made sure that the propaganda machine, aided by Institute of Sociology's brightest, capitalized on this.

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However, HMS Kardashev's mission was far from over. The next stage was to finally test the Gorov Drive in real conditions. As the Emperor's staff watched with held breaths, the vessel initiated an FTL jump to Alpha Centauri.
All went well, and for the first time in history, humans have left the Solar system. Amazing in and of itself, yet soon the messages containing Tony Dillard's reports were to shock everyone.
Alpha Centauri was selected as the first destination for the Enlightenment-class vessel as it had been long theorized as a potential candidate for a "Goldilocks positioned" planet capable of developing life. The truth proved to be even more spectacular than just that. Even initial scans revelead that the system possessed not one but three worlds teeming with alien fauna and flora and potentially capable of sustaining human colonies as well. The system's second planet immediately became the source of fascination: it had a moon serving much the same role as that of Terra's own and a human-miscible ecosphere engaged in a CO2-Oxygen cycle, allowing for humans to even safely breathe its air, proving to be overall the best candidate for a future colony, but it also had a rocky ring much like Sol's gas giants which would be visible in the sky from its surface. Even more interestingly, the moon of the gas giant Alpha Centauri III also developed a wild ecosystem despite being bombarded by bodies from the planet's own rings, but the constant barrage and the giant's gravitational influence made it uninhabitable, if a source of valuable data for humanity's engineers.

Left to right: Alpha Centauri II, Alpha Centauri IIIa and Alpha Centauri IV
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HMS Kardashev's findings in the Alpha Centauri system caused a rush of funds into the scientific undertaking of surveying the local stars, and a second Enlightenment-class vessel was constructed, named the HMS New Dawn. Fascinated with Dillard's reports on the xenofauna of Alpha Centauri, the head of the Institute of Sociology, Count Wu, asked to command the second vessel. His duties back on Terra were taken over by a young but accomplished dr Tungu Buhari who soon earned her own aristocratic title.
At first, Count Wu had to contend with his own disappointment when the system of Barnard's Star to which he was directed proved entirely inconsequential to humanity's interests: just a collection of molten planetoids orbiting in close proximity to a red dwarf star, without signs of any life ever having entered its premises, nor of any mineable materials. Then, however, Wu was ordered to continue into the Gianfar system, where he, too, found his share of monumental discoveries. In August 2203, he set to examin improbablly regular patterns covering the inside of a crater in one of the system's asteroids. He found that the patterns were likely the results of a collison not with a meteorite, but rather with an instalation of alien origin and represented large-scale circuitry. For the first time, humanity was faced with definitive proof of the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence.* Wu also thought his equipment picked up something he interpreted as a "distress signal" coming from the heated surface of Gianfar I, but the military advised against investigating the signal as too dangerous.
Imperial administration received the Count's reports with some apprehension. While the offical line was to announce the amazing discoveries a both a triumph of human ingenuity and a call for caution and unity, to the Emperor, this was the ultimate wake-up call: the Imperial Navy might need to be expanded and tested in service sooner than expected, rather than serve as another instrument of his propaganda. Among the academia, some still rejected Wu's report and calimed the circuits to be merely the result of curious natural phenomena.
Meanwhile, Dillard's expedition reached Sirius, continuing the habit of locating habitable, continental worlds with alien ecosystems. Consisting of only a few celestial bodies, the system still had a Terra-like planet and two gas giants rich in natural fuels. The moon of the continental Sirius III however, appeared to carry some structures designed with intent.

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Back on Terra, the Emperor had his hands full. As extraterestrial rsources began to flow in, the life of his subjects began improving immediately. Vast areas of slums and post-war wastelands could now be redeveloped, and unemployment dropped as workplaces in power plants supplied with material from Jupiter and Neptune got constructed. The Science Association, finding new and exciting avenues of study, redoubled their recruitment and training efforts.
Operations of the three Institutes were subject to some mismanagement initially. To give an example, the Institute of Engineering focused its resources on studying the uses of a newly discovered substance called Betharian as a power source, trace amounts of which had been found and sent for analysis by Dillard's expedition. The Institute's conclusion was that no system surveyed so far possessed sufficient volumes of the substance to be of any benefit. Helzgard had been reprimanded and instructed to focus on improving the Navy's armaments instead.
More and more the attention of the Emperor and his staff needed to be diverted to matters pertaining to operations outside of the Solar system and it became obvious that this trend would only become more of a problem. That is why Ivan I established the institution of Planetary Governors, anticipating more planets to be colonized but also needing an additional institution ot focus on developing Terra. Thus, Duke Alexy Starakhov became the first Imperial Governor of the Empire's capital world.

Duke-Governor Alexy Starakhov​

*Also giving me an asteroid with 9 engineering within my borders, for an empire of natural engineers. I was pretty happy with Wu on that day.

 

[Makkovar]

Slow going for now, as with each update I realize I've got more to say than I anticipated. Hopefully you're enjoying the desciption of humanity's first findings among the stars as much as I do.

Some explosions scheduled to happen in the next update.

 

[Taintedtamt]

Wow! Lucky start and nicely detailed. I wonder how the species of the galaxy will come to know humans in this story, with fear? or hatred? Haha

 

[Nikolai]

Really a good start here, writing wise and game wise.

 

[Makkovar]

Chapter 2: Death Merchants​

In April 2204, humanity first encountered some of the spaceborne organisms we now know are commonplace in our galaxy. Having jumped into the Izta system to continue his surveys, Science Officer Count Dr You Wu received reads of large biological signatures at the edge of the system. It was decided that the organisms must be placed under continued observation for the scientific benefit of humanity. Dubbed 'Tiyanki', these creatures were found to sustain themselves on substances they absorbed from various gas giants, and their diet was varied enough to necessitate migrations from system to system. Considering the Empire's expanding energy-gathering operations were also reliant on access to nearby gas giants, the military came close to marking the creatures as potentially dangerous to the infrastructure and sending the navy after them. However, the Emperor was surprised to find himself faced with a petiotion against the notion. Some new Hindu and Buddhist sects on Terra took great interest in the revelations of extraterrestrial life, and in the habits of Tiyanki in particular, judging them as likely to be of great cosmic importance, or reincarnations of greatly virtuous humans. With Duke-Governor Starakhov's advice, considering the Emperor's role in Terra's religious life, it was deemed better to risk a low probabillity of Tiyanki finding and damaging Imperial stations over a certainty of unrest in several sectors of the planet.

As the Science Officers concluded their study of the systems of Izta and Witris, HMS New Dawn also entered the system of Ginnog in June of 2205. There, another discovery was made of the beings colloquially known as "Crystals" or "Crystalline entities." Having studied the beings' movements for a short while, it became apparent to Count Wu that the nearest conglomerate of them entered a course to intercept. In order not to risk his crew's lives, he elected to forgo the survey of Ginnog for the time being. For the first time, Imperial administration marked a system as a no-entry zone until a naval expedition can secure it and Crystalline entities were classified as a military target.

Right alongside these developments, the crew of the Forge-class contruction vessel HMS Labourer made their own scientific contribution. Working in the Sirius system to set up another gas-mining operation, the ship was equipped with military-grade scanners, which detected an unscheduled entry into the system. Based on the ship's reading's, it hadn't been a biological entity, but a ship of a design similar to the Empire's own science vessels. It emitted its own survey beams, more powerful than those of Enlightenment-class ships, but upon detecting the HMS Labourer it quickly retreated from the system. While all the previous findings have so far been announced to the public and heavily propagandized, this report was kept secret and the Labourer's crew were instructed never to speak of the event under the heaviest repercussions.

Imperial space in 2205 AD​

Abandoning the surroundings of Ginnog, both Dillard and Wu were directed to the galactic "north" of Empire space, up the spiral arm in the direction of the galactic core, entering a region which is now theorized to have once been subjected to large-scale mining operations by a precursor civilization. As soon as February 2206, another contact had been made in the Nunki system, where a decrepid automated mining station was detected, surrounded by ancient but working mining drones. Yet again, the system had to be abandoned for a short period while the Solar Defense Fleet was being expanded, even though Nunki possessed another potentially habitable planet. In the nearby Ar-Doqd system, HMS New Dawn came across artifacts of a civilization of synthetic lifeforms dated at about 600 000 years of age, and managed to decrypt some recovered data on their history. The civilization called themselves "the Cybrex" and was apparently hostile towards organic sentients, which might explain hostile movements by the mining drones in Nunki. While approaching Ar-Doqd IV to scan for precious materials, the ship also suffered a glancing hit from some ancient mass driver round. At the time, it was theorized that rather than being a stray, it may have been fired by some undetected Cybrex defense platform in the system. On the frozen Ar'Doqd VII, an active marker was found, uncovering a hidden seam of minerals.

Studying an asteroid in the Faltus system, Tony Dillard and the HMS Kardashev came across yet more proof of wide-range mining taking place in these systems. A working automated drill had been found within the asteroid, and promptly taken apart for study and to collect uncovered materials. Continuing into the Crescim system in late 2208, he also detected a different type of spaceborne organism, which he dubbed Space Amoeba. Having observed and measured the creatures from a distance, he reported that their size and sheer speed at which they operated their flagella would mean that the Imperial navy should refrain from action for the time being. The creatures were an amazing three times the size of an Imperial corvette and the effect of a mass driver round penetrating them could only be speculated on.

By then, Wu had been recalled to Sol and equipped with the tools and additional crew needed to study the seismic activity of Mars detected years ago by Dillard. Upon completing his project, Dr Wu theorized that these esoteric processes of "grimacing" of the planet's inner layers might be indeed what caused it to become inhospitable to life, and that if not for them there would quite possibly have been two life-carrying planets in the Solar system. The theory even went so far as to suggest the possibility of stoppig the processes and opening up the possibility to terraform Mars, but a procject of such scale had at this point been unrealistic for the Empire's possibilities and so the Empire restrained itself to merely establish a scientific outpost on the surface to study the physical properties of the phenomenon.

With the growing awareness of its stellar surroundings and expanded mining operations, the Empire was faced with an unexpected threat. In late 2207, several contracted freighters were reported missing. It was not lng before the cause unveiled itself - a coalition of disgruntled or ideologically opposed Imperial personnel found an opportunity to defraud some funds from the growing extraterrestrial industry and hijack several ships to establish a pirate operation, harassing the Empire's shipping lanes. Lead by a deserter from the Naval Academy, Jian Zhang, they called themselves the "Death Merchants" and intended to terrorize Imperial population and disrupt Terran economy to force political change. Little did they know that because of the discoveries of potentially threatening entities in deep space, the Solar Defense Fleet had just been expanded with three brand new ships: the HMS Emperor's Honor, HMS Duty and HMS Tradition. Not only that, but the Institute of Engineering recently focused its efforts on armaments and the ships were just being outfitted with Coilguns, a design improved from the old Mass Drivers the pirates knew. A way of producing armour transportable by the corvettes while sturdy enough to withstand magnetically propelled rounds. With her impressive fleet, Lady-Admiral Renate Sauer tracked down the pirates in the Gianfar system and made short work of them, as Jian Zhang was clearly surprised by the quality of Imperial equipment. While Emperor Ivan I would have prefered to take some of the criminals captive to make an example of in a public trial, the fleet was not equipped for boarding actions.

Sauer knew that the pirates had to have a base of operations outside of Sol. The base was soon found: an impressively large instalation in the asteroid belt of the recently surveyed Faltus system. Those traitors left within the base learned of Zhang's demise, and fortified the location as best they could. Later scans of the debris left after the battle that followed revealed that the Death Merchants even managed to procure a design of an effective point-defense system and implement it. Lady-Admiral Sauer did not expect such heavy resostance from the immobile and cut-off instalation, and so approached too close into full range of its armaments. Bacause of it, the leading ships found themselves under heavy barrage and to save them, she ordered the rest of the ships to increase the distance while positioning her own flagship to cover them with its broadside. This manouver cost her the HMS Alexandr, though herslef and most of the crew evacuated in time. With the better position, the rest of the ships managed to tear the station apart.

Back on Terra, the Admiral was celebrated in public for the heroic manouver, though privately the Empror chastized her for the inital lack of caution. Either way, The Empire had a victory to celebrate and the public had a new reason to trust in its promises of protection. This trust would soon be very needed by Ivan I.

 

[volksmarschall]

Wonderful story, and AAR, thus far! I'm duly excited to see that others--in their creation of custom civilizations--also have gone into the text files to write the short backstory (because, at the very least--although perhaps you did so in anticipation of this AAR--it's aesthetically pleasing to choose your custom civ and see a description instead of a blank box).

Great, absolutely fantastic! I look forward to much more.

Cheers!

 

[Makkovar]

Chapter 3: First Contact​

The fourteenth of April, 2209 is a date well-known to all human Imperial citizens. It is the day when HMS Labourer's report of an unidentified vessel from a few years prior was finally made sense of. The day we were contacted by the Lathrepians.
The aliens hadn't known to limit their initial greetings to the military, and although knowledge of their looks and technology was being suppressed by the state, news of such magnitude could not be contained and leaked footage reached all humans within days. The Lathrepians are mammalians somewhat similar to our primates, but winged and feathered. Their faces allow for a great range of expressiveness and their complicated language is very pleasant to human ears. However, their strangely familiar features put them in the realm of the uncanny. They come from an Arctic world, their surroundings meaning that color perception was not a helpful feature, and while they did develop other kinds of vision, their fur and feathers, clothing and symbols all look grey to us humans. Seeing the strange and visibly superior creatures, many across the Empire were gripped by panic or had their views of human uniqueness shattered. Some districts on Terra experienced riots, citizens suddenly doubting the government's ability to protect them.
The Sovereign Lathrepian Commonwealth had been founded on principles of economic prosperity and was ruled by the wealthy and the expansionist, though the species did not share the humans' aversion towards the alien and unknowable, seeing instead only opportunity. Aside from their homeworld of Umikandra in the region known as the Ibannic Veil, they already possessed two prosperous colonies and expanded further soon after making contact.

Thus initiated into the reality of the galactic balance of power, the Emperor took various actions. Research on feasible methods of colonization got pushed to top priority and completed successfully within the same year, upon which exerting control across greater distances became the main area for the Institute of Sociology. The Institute of Engineering soon presented the design for the Frontier-class "Ark ships" or colony ships, including newly made Ion Thrusters allowing for greater speed and conversly faster colonization. The Imperial Navy was directed to secure the Nunki system, where ancient Cybrex mining drones threatened civilian operations, and then to battle the Crystaline entities encountered in Ginnog (losing HMS Gagarin in the process as the crystals proved harder to crack than initially expected), all to allow for rapid expansion of Imperial economy and to neutralize immediate threats in anticipation of possible Lethrepian aggression, while the aliens' territory was still some distance from Terra. The Spaceport over Terra was soon expanded and armed. Rudimentary AIs were introduced into the administrative life of the Empire for greater control and efficiency.

Imperial Science Officers continued their explorations. Count You Wu explored the Nunki system and its surroundings, continually going core-wise, while Tony Dillard and his crew had been recalled to survey the areas nearer the Lathrepians. The former continued finding remnants of extinguished alien civilizations, including a debris field left after what was clearly a space battle for the planet Nunki IV fought by some unknown entities against the Cybrex, as well as monolythic structures on the uninhabitable Nunki II apparently erected for artistic reasons.
Tony Dillard, on the other hand, reminded humanity that, even if not currently on top of the galactic food chain, they were certainly not its bottom. Orbiting Unif is the arid planet of Utpol Zajkax, the homeworld of the Rixi. Anatomically much more avian than the Lathrepians, the Rixi were then at the doorstep of an Industrial Age, experiencing much technological advancement. Despite their individualistic and achievement-seeking tendencies, they were greatly motivated by their prophets to remain united and work industriously for the common good. Dillard was authorized to establish an observation post and study the abnormally productive race extensively. Soon after, a permanent team got established to conduct the observations, gathering of specimen and anatomical study.

The Empire was not given the time to internalize the relief over their superiority in Unif, as through the Lathrepians, their trading partners soon learned of humanity as well. The Saathid, a species of enduring arthropid equivalents made contact in May 2210. Saathids come from the ocean world of Saathurna, and still depend on the ocean environment in their breeding processes, making it hard for them to adapt even to other ocean worlds. Despite that, they too had had time to establish themselves on two colonies. Fortunately for humans, the Saathid were not aggressive, their hives based around a peaceful religion, organized democratically, and focused around an abstract divine entity traditionally related to the life-giving water.
Still, they happened to occupy an area of space uncomfortably close to Terra. For the first time, the galaxy ceased to seem infinitely vast and full of opportunity. Instead, it suddenly felt oppressively small, and humans started to frantically plan their expansion northward. The Emperor expected tensions and eventual conflict with the Saathid over bordering systems, certain that the arthropoid species would desire to expand, trapped within the arm by two alien powers, of which humanity was both smaller and closer by.

HMS Kardashev was then taken over by Countess Florencia Garcia so that Dillard might return to Terra and share his expertise on alien civilizations and environments of exoplanets. The Institute of Astrophysics finally received resources for their experiments with deflector technology, long a theoretical possibility but only now crucial enough as a potential advantage over alien arms. It soon became a reality with the advent of simultaneously developed first portable Cold Fusion reactors.

April 2211, in turn, marks the bright beginning of human colonization and expansionism. The first Frontier-class vessel ever constructed, the HMS Progeny, under Duke-Governor Shi Xu established the colony of Harmony on the temperate moon of Faltus IIIa. The system was further away than Alpha Centauri and other early discoveries, but it was also in a perfect spot to serve as the base of operations in the mining area where the Cybrex remains were discovered. The Emperor also ordered an armed outpost to be established in the Unif system, demarcating Imperial borders against the Saathid Concordat. By the end of 2212, the next colony ship, the HMS Horizon was constructed and sent to establish a colony on Alpha Centauri II, the planet now called New Moscow. The rushed colonization effort put a strain on Imperial economy, but by this point the Empire had built up sufficient reserves to justify such an expense.

Frontier-class Ark Ship​

A natural consequence of the contacts established so far, in early 2213 also the Entheri Assembly opened channels with the United Solar Empire. Another long-lived arthropoid species, they found themselves occupying two hot tropical worlds between Lathrepian and Saathid space. Younger and less advanced, their civilization was not as intimidating as their neighbours'. The Entheri society was a representation-based democracy centered around reason and rational policy. Imperial diplomats responded... accordingly.

It is important to note that the image of these species differed greatly from the truth in the eyes of a common Imperial citizen then, as the Empire had no business presenting its subjects with knowledge of the various, often democratized societies of these advanced spacefarers. Especially the Saathid and, by extension, the Entheri were viewed as an imposing, threatening hive of insects, achieving great feats as a collective but ignoring all notions of individual intelligence and cultural accomplishments on their part. Still, the Emperor eventually decided it best to risk establishing diplomatic embassies, Old Terra-style, in hopes of improving relations and preventing an unforseen military encroachment by these species.

United Solar Empire and its neighbours, early 2214 AD​

 

[Makkovar]

I wonder how the species of the galaxy will come to know humans in this story, with fear? or hatred? Haha

I hope to find out soon! Not much hatred going around so far, but I'm sure that'll change...

Really a good start here, writing wise and game wise.

Thanks! Let's hope the trend continues.

Great, absolutely fantastic! I look forward to much more.

Honor to have you here, Herr Marchall! I look forward to writing more.

 

[Taintedtamt]

Yay! Nearby Xeno-Scum for huminity to invade and conquer!

Your writing style perfectly sums up what your doing and researching with minimal story beats. Keep up with this great AAR!