Under the rule of Emperor Lichaeus, a massive emmigration of criminals, poor people, landless nobles and political dissidents began. Two huge Colonizer Class vessels, the New Hope and the Axiantor flew through the Wormhole carrying over 50,000 people into the Local Group.
The Colonizer vessels arrived at the core of the star cluster. Scouts found two star systems suitable for colonization. These systems were named Hope and Axia, after the ships.
Though Hope and Axia contained beautiful, habitable planets, there were still many difficulties for the early colonists. Dangeous indigenous life forms, lack of material resources and squabbles among the colonists slowed the process of builing the settlements and industries of the new worlds.
The immigrants were divided into several factions. Membership in these factions was often determined by birthplace and class. One major dispute between these factions was the shape of the social order in the Local Group. Some people wanted to recreate the social structure of the Old Empire. Others wanted to base their new society off more egalitarian principles.
These disputes flared into small skirmishes in various settlements on Hope and Axia. These battles ended in LGY 43 when the dissidents, calling themselves the Pioneers, took a small fleet and exiled themselves.
The disputes of the early settlements showed the leaders of the colonists the need for a more centralized governement. They opted to form a Senate with the nobles and leaders of the major factions as Senators.
As things quited on the first colonies, there was a great intrest in exploration and expansion. The humans of the Old Empire were explorers and conquerers and many of the colonists felt that this legacy fell to them. Fleets of scout ships were organized and new colonizers were constructed.
This was a period of peace. There was an abundance of resources and work. The Old Empire sent a continuous stream of immigrants to the Local Group, but these were easily assimilated into the Republic.
The SSO was formed by the Senate and charged with the duty of mapping "all the stars seen from the Senate chambers." In addition, the SSO was to conduct extensive surveys of all planets found and make recommendations about the potential uses of these new worlds.
The task of building a shipyard that could quickly produce starships was a long task. The massive project put a great strain on the engineering capabilities of the colonies.
The Hope Shipyard could construct small ships, suitable for scouting purposes. A continuous effort was made to increase the size of the yard so colonizers could be built.
The SSO took a long time to become operational. New ships had to be designed and built and there was little naval architecture expertise in the Republic.
However, by LGY 74, the first scouting vessels were ready for flight.
The first scout fleets reported contact with the Ixian species in LGY 77.
Colony ships to the region where the Ixians were encountered carried language and xenodiplomacy specialists.
Republican diplomats sign a favorable settlement with the Ixians.
The prosperity of the early Republic began to wane as the immigration into the Local Group continued. Unfortunately, the new arrivals were often unwanted in the Old Empire and by this time, the Republicans had forgotten their humble origins. Immigrants had a hard time finding good work in the new colonies and were discontent.
The immigrants demonstrated and rioted, fostering more ill will from the citizens of the Republic. There were many discussions on ways of stopping immigration to the LG. Many immigrants were interned in their arrival ship for months before being permitted to land.
Certain Senators speculated that the Ixians would become a threat to the Republic as Ixian-reachable stars became scarce. The Senate ordered the construction of a large number of warships and weapons for what some considered was an inevitable battle.
Many of the disgruntled immigrants were "drafted" into the military effort, working for low wages in the factories and shipyards.
The coniditions of the shipyard workers prompted the formation of labor unions and yard worker strikes. These unions brought about some change in the condition of the immigrant workers.
Conflicts over territory flared into open battle on many of the planets along the Marr borders. Both sides responded to this violence by moving military hardware into attack position. Within two months of the first shots, the situation had flared into open naval conflict.
The Senate legislated the right to draft citizens into military service in times of need. Many people questioned the validity of this Act, stating that it favored the wealthy by allowing financial payment or industrial tithes in lieu of actual service.
Others questioned the ethnic agenda behind the Act. They argued that people in immigrant communities were targetted for conscription before those from older towns.
Exhausted from 14 years of conflict, both sides agree to a treaty expanding the Ixian borders slightly and allowing for a neutral zone containing colonies from both species.
The end of the Ixian wars saw many shipyard jobs cut. Hope and Axia were filled with unemployed industrial workers. To make matters worse, soldiers returned home to public welfare lines.
Several hardline Senators begin stirring anti-Ixian sentiment. Promising prosperity and new worlds, popular support for the Hawk movement grows.
Human fleets attack the Ixian colonies on ____________.
Human fleets sweep through Ixian space. New doctrine developed by Anselm Jasnou allow Republican fleets to defeat the Ixian flagship. Ixians surrender all the territory gained in the previous war and some rich planets deeper in Ixian space.
A popular hero, Jasnou returns to Hope and uses his fleet to oust the current Senate and set up a new government. Empire Formed Jasnou is declared the Emperor of the New Empire and a puppet Senate is formed. The Republic is ended.
Though Jasnou was an able politician, he was not a good economic manager. His inadequecy in economic affairs caused a general decline in the post-war prosperity.
To stave off the decline, Jasnou ordered more worlds open to colonization. Initially, this created employment. However, once the colonization began, the enormous cost of supporting new colonies increased the problems.
To allow faster colonization and lessen the burden on the taxpayers of Hope and Axia, Jasnou instituted the Imperial Charter Board. This changed the way colonies were formed and supported.
Under this Board, private intrests could obtain charters from the Empire to colonize regions of planets. The private intrest was permitted some autonomy in forming a colonial government and promised the protection of the Imperial military. In return, the colony supported itself with no help from the Senate. In addition, a tariff was levied on the goods and services produced by the colony.
In theory, this new Board would allow the Empire the benefits of expansion without the cost of supporting a new colony. Private enterprise would shoulder the risk. In practice, since Senatoral families and their patrons owned a great portion of the wealth, there was continuous political meddling in the colony system. Planetary charters would nearly always allow certain "deals" between Senate and the new colony.
Several key figures in the formation of the Empire begin to petition the Emperor for more power. These people are granted Senate seats and the powers of the Senate are expanded.
Included in this group of "new Senators" is Tigris Boru. Boru is appointed Senate historian and keeps detailed records of the dealings of the Senate. In addition, he starts the Imperial Archives.
With the new colony management system in place, it was necessary to form an office that would assess and tax the new autonomous colony worlds. The IRS was formed to do this job.
With the new colony system in place, the Empire expanded quickly. Record numbers of charters were granted to industry, churches, noble families and ethnic groups.
The 2nd expansion was carried out by noble and corporate concerns. Several industrial colonies were formed. Only two colony ships left Hope to colonize in the name of the Emperor.
During the 2nd expansion, immigrants continued to pour in from the Old Empire. These people became the backbone of the colonization effort.
Ixian tensions increase as the aliens scoff at the borders formed by the Treaty of Ix.
Due to the new charter laws, the Empire did not have a police force on every colony. Instead, colonies were supposed to enforce their own laws as well as Imperial Law. In cases of piracy or terrorism, colony law enforcement was often found lacking.
To deal with these threats, the Imperial Naval Police was formed. This branch of the Navy dealt with interstellar and Imperial Law as well as tracked down criminals who moved from world to world. They provided assistance to local law enforcement when necessary.
Police personnel were taken from the ranks of the Naval Academy and trained in all ship skills as well as law enforcement techniques. The INP was effective in making the will of the Emperor known on the fringes of the Local Group. They were also a powerful military tool in their own right, fighting piracy, terrorists and black mercenary companies.
Small battles occassionally break out in disputed territory. Diplomats quiet the situation, but many fear that the Ixian/ Human relationship will never stabalize.
Emperor Jasnou dies at age 86 of natural causes. He is succeeded by nobleman Henri Dagoth in a short, but peaceful political struggle.
After a relatively uneventful rule, Emperor Dagoth dies and is succeeded by Admiral Erthide Vox.
Expansion slowed as economic prosperity increased. The Empire became wary of granting charters due to problems with taxation and conflicts between Imperial and Colony law.
In general, peace prevailed in this period.
Several small warships on survey duty encountered Boolean vessels in the ________ system.
The Boolean Queen is anxious for war and cannot comprehend the power of the human fleets. The Booleans are utterly defeated in a couple months.
The Booleans are given mercy and status as Imperial Citizens. They seem eager to copy the ways of their conquerers. Soon, many Imperial businesses capitalize on this fact, selling goods, services and fads that are popular in human space.
Billions of credits are poured into the Boolean economy. Much of the infrastructure of the Boolean worlds needs rebuilding. The program is rife with corruption by the agents of the companies that in charge of distributing the funds.
Emperor Vox I concedes some of his power to the Senate families in exchange for the passage of the Succession Act. This act requires the Senate to hear the claims of the firstborn sons to vacated Senate seats and the Emperor's Throne.
This act secures the positions of power for many Senatoral families and insures that Vox's first son will be Emperor.
Emperor Vox I dies of old age at 89 and is succeeded by his son, Emperor Vox II who is only 17 years of age.
Several times during the course of the expansion and settlement period, the Senate found it necessary to place a hold on new charters. This was often due to the inability of the various offices to keep up with the expansion. The logistics of policing and taxing the colonies overwhelmed the IRS and the INP.
The Ixians make a suprise attack on the human colonies on the border and sweep through the disputed territories. The Consuls appointed by Vox II seem impotent to stop the Ixian fleets.
A new Boolean Queen is born and a civil war ensues. The war lasts three years and the new Queen wins. Boolean civilization is nearly destroyed. Senate considers sending troops to stop the fighting, but under the advice of xenodiplomats, do not.
At the urging of his advisors, Emperor Vox asked Senate to impeach his appointed Consul of the Eastern Fleet, Jons Snoke on the charge of incompetence. Snoke's family leaves the Senate, leaving their two seats vacant.
As Ixian victories mount, Emperor Vox began to talk about a settlement favorable to the Ixians. He hoped that such a treaty could insure a lasting peace where the previous two had not. However, there were many in the Senate who opposed Vox, seeing the war as a way to increase the power of their personal allies.
Vox used his influence with agrarian concerns to pressure Senators with intrests on industrial planets to consider peace or risk a food boycott. Many of the hawkish Senators have large factories on mineral rich, but barren, planets. A stoppage of food shipments would cost them millions of credits.
With the backbone of the hawk faction abstaining from the vote, the Senate agrees to allow Vox to deal with the Ixians. However, certain key territories are to be excluded from the treaty.
Emperor Vox II travels to Ixian territory personally to forge the agreement to end the Ixian Wars. The Ixians gain large amounts of territory in the eastern sectors, displacing millions of human colonists.
Worse still, one of the ceded territories was a producer of Salidnium. This is a terrible blow to the maintinence and creation of shipping in the Empire.
Many in the Senate see this loss as a violation of the agreement Vox made with the hawk faction.
Upon his return to Hope, Vox is assassinated. The Senate, awaiting the Emperor in Chambers, hears the news and accusations begin to fly between Senators. A battle ensues between the Home Guard and the fleets of the hawk faction. The hawks are turned away Many Senators flee Hope.
A brief, but devastating civil war ensues between various Senatoral families over the throne. The war centers around the core of the Empire and destroys a large part of the civilisation on the populated core worlds, as well as the military capability of the fleets involved.
At the end of the war, Zibeth is crowned Empress.
Before the Civil War, the Imperial Navy consisted of a core of ships and several auxiliary fleets controlled by the nobles. Each noble pledged his support for the Emperor and would donate his fleet in times of war. This feudal system was supposed to place the burden of maintaining a large space navy on the shoulders of the powerful nobles. Through the Senate however, many nobles received "fleet grants" that allowed them to build and maintain a huge number of military vessels. Many Senators had personal fleets that could match that of the Emperor.
After Zibeth united the Empire, she abolished the Noble Fleets and nationalized all military vessels. These were placed under the command of loyal Consuls and sent to defend the borders of the wounded Empire.
Within a few years, Fleet was granted control of nearly all the military of the Empire, including the planetary forces.
Senate again offered the Boolean billions of credits in resources to help rebuild the culture. The New Queen refuses human aid and instead closes off much of the contact between humans and Bool. Senate considers forcing Bool to open its spaceways and trade, but decides that Bool is a lost cause, and not worth the effort.
Qui-Ling Shipping is started by Gu Qui-Ling.The company grows steadily.
Zibeth's rule is a period of rebuilding for the Empire. Most of the major industrial, and educational facilities in the core were destroyed by the war.
For 300 years, there would be a regular shipment of ingots, junked ships, prisoners and other resources from the Old Empire. However, the shipment scheduled for LGY 325 never arrived. No ships arrived after that date. No one has ever known what happened to the Old Empire.
The loss of the support of the Old Empire made many people nervous. Several planetary stock markets collapsed and the economic situation of the Empire became grim. The rebuilding initiatives started by Empress Zibeth slowed.
Many corporations went out of business during this time. This made life difficult on the fringe of the Empire, since several small shipping companies were among the casualties. Many colonies could not get needed supplies and settlements on harsh worlds folded or perished.
With the economy in trouble, Qui-Ling was in the position to use its shipping might as leverage to get into the Senate. Gu QL used his position to promote family members and secure new shipping contracts.
The rebuilding of the Empire inspired great hope in the people. A new period of colony building and exploration followed, extending the Empire west.
One of the most valuable planets found in the new territory was New Chicago. It was a lush greenhouse world with many natural resources. These resources, along with its location, made it a perfect place to base the western portion of the fleet.
Several deposits of Salidnium were found on New Chicago. Immediately, several mining companies moved large amounts of people and equipment to the new colony.
With an influx of industrial and military intrests, a labor shortage developed on the planet. Hundreds of thousands of people were needed as support personnel for Fleet and the miners.
The Resettlement Act provided money and a small grant of land to anyone willing to move their family to New Chicago. Only families were considered for the Act, as Zibeth wanted to maintain the population of the planet for years to come.
The Boolean Queen died, leaving control of the species to a young successor. Senate decides to resume overtures of peace to the new Queen.
Noted businessman Ultos Richaard visits the Boolean homeworld at the bequest of the young Queen.
The new shipyard was to be second only to Hope in size.
The Boolean society begins to structure itself, mimicing the charter of the Empire's most successful companies.
Zibeth is considered an Imperial Hero and there is a month of mourning after her death.
The Boolean Nation/Company 0001 is formed. Its resources are that of the entire Boolean people.
Xenobiologists found that many of the life forms on New Chicago had not undergone the same degree of evolution as species on other worlds. This led them to believe that the conditions on New Chicago were close to ideal for these species and thus the ecosystem must have been extremely well balanced.
The scientist warned that this balance was probably so good that the random dumping of a billion or so odd lifeforms on the planet would wreak havoc on the local species. Already, many species were becoming extinct.
The population of New Chicago is already 650 million and growing out of control.
The Pioneers exiled themselves from the settlements on Hope and Axia early in the history of the Local Group. These people settled in the southwestern sectors.
Pioneer development was slow compared to that of the Empire because of the lack of resources and immigrants from the Old Empire.
Tilia pitied these "wandering brothers" and immediately offered the Pioneers full citizenship within the Empire. The Pioneers refuse.
Though open warfare has not yet occurred, there is a great deal of tension between the Empire and the Pioneers. Empress Tilia declares that the Local Group was granted to the New Empire by Emperor Lichaeus in LGY 0. The only exemption to this was the territory already held by other species. As the Pioneers are not aliens, their land belongs to all humanity, including the people of the Empire.
With this proclamation, Imperial scouts and colonizers continue to move through the southwest territory. Even more eager for expansion are the corporations who are looking for new resources and markets and see the Pioneer lands as virgin ground.
The Pioneers grow resentful of the incursions into their space. The Empire is moving ever closer to their worlds and shows no sign of stopping. They feel that soon they will be Imperial citizens regardless of their wishes.
The Pioneers continue to protest what they consider to be a complete disregard for their rights by the Empire. Tilia and the Senate, pressured by the corporations to allow unlimited expansion, continue to grant charters that outrage the Pioneers.
When Hanson Corp wanted land charters on several planets already occupied by Pioneer communities, there was an outburst of rage all through the southwest. The Pioneers declared their territory off limits and sent to the Emperor a list of systems that were considered to be Pioneer territory before the Empire appeared on the scene. Several of these systems were chartered to Imperial intrests. Emperor Mitschu once again extended the offer of Imperial citizenship to all the Pioneers and declared that Imperial expansion efforts would not be slowed by "misguided nationalism."
The hostilities began when several Pioneer planets began offering letters of marque to privateers for the destruction of Imperial shipping. The idea was to make the routes into the Pioneer territories dangerous for corporate ships and colonizers. After several incidents, the Senate began to press Mitschu to punish the Pioneers.
Mitschu responded by sending a portion of the Western Fleet to ___________ to bombard the surface. The war had begun.
It did not take long until the war had escalated into full scale conquest of the Pioneers. The Pioneers fought hard against superior ships, but were defeated planet by planet. The Empire added all the Pioneer territory to its own.
Though the planets had been conquered, a good portion of the Pioneer fleet remained spacebound and attacked Imperial shipping for many years. The Empire simply could not force a decisive battle between the fleets.
After the Pioneer War, millions of Imperial citizens moved into the conquered lands. Businesses saw new markets and resources and a few struggling companies moved their entire operation into the technological backwater of the southwest.
The Senate encouraged these moves, hopoing that the massive influx of loyal Imperial people would dilute the Pioneer spirit. In a few generations, intermarriage and agressive pro-Empire campaigns in public schools would have made the conquest of the Pioneers a forgotten piece of history.
In addition, many Imperial intrests saw their chance to make a great deal of money in the southwest. Many charters were granted to companies and noble families. Several nobles took their homes to Pioneer land and convinced the Senate to grant them a governorship.
The Pioneers were slowly pushed out of their businesses and jobs by more tech advanced Imperial citizens. Unrest grew.
All companies moving into Pioneer territory were required to provide the locals a certain quota of jobs. Most of the time, the Pioneers did not have the technical know how to be competitive with Imperial workers. Thus, only the most menial jobs were availible. This only heightened the resentment Pioneers felt toward the "benign Empire."
The Act also included job training for Pioneer workers. This of course, was spiced with a liberal dose of Imperial propoganda.
This law gave Pioneers citizenship in the Empire if they would pledge their loyalty to the Emperor. Many did so, but the turnout was lower than expected.
The Empire never really won over the people of the southwest territories. Throughout this period, there were continual pirate attacks on Imperial shipping as well as a few terrorist attacks on communities known to be mostly Imperial.
To counter the rise of terrorism in the Pioneer sectors, the Imperial Naval Police moved their headquarters and a large portion of their fleet to New Chicago.
The strains put on the ecosystem of New Chicago due to record immigration began to destroy the environment. Several of the main plant species began to die as pollution blocked out needed sunlight. Species died off in horrifying numbers. Food becomes scarce and must be shipped from other worlds. By the year 440, the planet is barren.
The human population of New Chicago is 2 billion and immigration is still driving that number up.
The ISS Arnett encountered an Ursine trade vessel entering human space. Though the two sides could not communicate, the meeting was peaceful. Teams of xenodiplomats were immediately dispatched by ISO.
The Empire reaches its current borders. Population increases steadily.
Imperial teams sign a series of pacts deliniating the borders between the two species. As well, several trade agreements are drafted. Ursines seem anxious for inter-species contact and trade. During the meetings, Ursine news couriers arrived with news of a large Anarch attack. This is the first that humans have heard of the violent Anarch.
After Anarch attacks decimate several large Defender Class vessels. The Ursine ask Fleet for assistance. Fleet creates the 2nd Battle Training Fleet and sends it to Ursine space to patrol and engage the Anarchs.
The ISS Tomahawk meets two Anarch light gunboats. The Anarchs seem confused by the design of the ship and the ferocity of the new ship. The Tomahawk destroys both gunboats, but only after taking heavy losses.
Several Pioneer captains band together to form dangerous pirate fleets which patrol the southwest sectors and terrorize Imperial ships. INP and Fleet chase these pirates for years before destroying the last of them.
Outraged at the farce of the Pirate Wars, the Senate resturctured the entire INP, appointing a new Chief. They also replaced the Western Fleet Consul as well as several admirals.
Mitschu dies at age 149 and is replaced by his son, Adachi.
Adashi dies of a terrible illness and is replaced by the Senate's choice of Regulus.
With the colonization of __________, the Empire reaches its current day borders.
In the years after the final settlement period, many new families found themselves in a position to consolidate their power and make a bid for Axiares status.
Though there was a great deal of resistance to these "Colony Governors", many young families found themselves with positions of power in the Empire. Some houses even seated.
These new Senators were more business minded than their predecessors and less interested in the traditions of nobility.
During this period, many new taxes and laws were drafted in an attempt to make the government more profitable. The Charter Taxes were one set of such bills. These laws called for the reassessment of the charters of all colony worlds. The IRS did so and by the year 551, it was determined that many charter taxes were out of date.
The IRS was charged with collecting the new taxes. The colony worlds were not happy with the perceived inequity of the new taxes. Worlds where Senate members did business were often exempted for some reason or another.
The northeast colonies were some of the hardest hit by the new taxes. The industries that thrived in the northeast sector were specifically noted in the IRS report as being undertaxed.
The northeast colonies saw the new taxes as being unfair and prejudical. Senator Tarkainen, formerly an admiral in Fleet, represented his sector in the many debates that followed the tax bill.
The Northeast Faction, led by Senator Tarkainen continued to battle the Senate on the issue of the colony taxes.
The planets of the Northeast Colonies refuse to pay the new taxes. The Empire boycotts goods from the planets and places patrol ships in place to enforce the blockade. Several IRS agents are killed in riots.
After publicly insulting the Emperor, Adm. Tarkainen is stripped of his Senate robes and placed under house arrest. He responds by calling the situation "intolerable" and his fellow Senators, "A bunch of brigands worse than the Drek."
At the time of the unrest, a large portion of Fleet Captains were from the northeast territories. They sympathized with their home sector and supported Tarkainen.
In LGY 556, several of these commanders freed Tarkainen and then fled the core with mutinous ships. Amazingly, this included the 50,000T ISS Tempest
When he arrived in the northeast Sector, he learned that the civilian authorities there had drafted a constitution for what was to become the Free Federation.
Fleet chased Tarkainen to the northeast where a series of devastating battles were fought. The overconfident Fleet commanders tried several times to penetrate deep into rebellious territory, only to find their supply situation tenuous.
Demoralized and low on large ships, Fleet had to settle on a battle line and fight a protracted war. Reinforcement were called from New Chicago.
Outraged at the rebel Tarkainen, the Takabe family sent their infamous intelligence service to track down his wife and child.
Knowing the rebel Admiral to be dishonorable, Takabe assassins strike down Tarkainen's family.
Though both sides were exhausted by the savage battles along the borders, Admiral Tarkainen offered the Emperor a cease fire if his family was released from captivity. When he learned of their death, he took the ship he was currently commanding, the 15,000T ISS Azhanti and attacked the Imperial Fleet, dying in the process.
Tarkainen's nephew Hale Jordaan took his uncle's name and assumed the leadership of the rebel fleet.
After the Battle of ______________ where both sides took heavy losses, a cease fire was declared. The Diplomatic Corps moved in to no evail.
The Free Federation and the Empire built powerful defences along the border. Each side moved SDB forces and missile bases to deter attacks.
Emperor Armagus appoints Tor Wrayath as Consul for the Northeast Fleet. Wrayath is cautious and against a massed attack against the Federation. The line of planets that mark the border between the two fleets becomes known as the Wrayath Line.
Intelligence reports from Ixian space show that a new faction has taken over the Perfect Sphere (the Ixian ruling body). New Swarm Ships are being built.
Armagus begins moving the 222nd Wing to the Ixian border. They are to perform maneuvers as a deterent to Ixian agression.
Ixians and humans skirmish many times during this period. Mostly, the battles involved small forces of colonists and special forces. However, six naval battles were fought over this period, but none involving significant tonnage.
The Imperial Diplomatic Corps work overtime to quell the hostilities. Open warfare does not break out. Both sides build up their military as much as possible.
Beset on all sides by enemies, the Empire sets out to increase the size and readiness of its military by 50%. New ship designs are created and shipyards work overtime to produce new combat vessels.
The increase in jump drive production places a huge demand on the Salidnium mines. Many mines have their quotas doubled or tripled. Living conditions in the mining facilities drop and the frequency of accidents begins to increase.
Several mines had major strikes and riots during this time. Production of Salidnium was slowed to a crawl, threatening the Military Initiative.
The strikes are settled in most places. The most militant of the unions are on the ex-Pioneer planet of Icin. However, even this strike is settled and some concessions are granted to the workers.
For the past 16 years, Armagus had built up the military potential of the Northeast fleet. An attack had been carefully planned for much of this time, but cautious leaders decided to wait.
Emperor Armagus dies of natural causes and his son takes his place. Several Senatoral families are displeased by this.
Armagus names a young, confident Baiern as Consul. Baiern claims to have a plan to defeat the Free Federation.
Imperial ships surge across the Wrayath line. They meet stiff resistance from Federation ships.
Once again, the Empire is forced to increase its Salidnium production. Many of the companies undermine their unions and meet the quotas, making trillions of credits.
The Empire has won several major battles and looks as though they may be able to destroy the Free Federation.
The Perfect Sphere, seeing the Federation as a good buffer agains the Empire, aids the Federation. Troops and ships are sent. The Ixians also increase their presence on the Imperial border.
With the influx of new ships, the Federation stops the Imperial offensive. The advance slows.
Several military units crushed a strike at the Salidnium mines on Icin. Many civilians were killed in the fighting. Riots continued for weeks afterward.
Several Pioneer captains begin recruiting crew. Imperial ships are attacked. Ground targets are bombed in terrorist acts.
The war stalemates and Baiern begins peace initiatives.
The Federation and Empire sign the Baiern Treaty. The borders are set, with the Empire gaining the planets it took in the war.
The Pioneers, unhappy with their treatment at the hands of the Imperial mining companies, become restless. Many terrorist groups begin to appear. Pirate attacks become commonplace. Some news agancies begin calling the attacks the Second Pirate Wars.
Cpt. Julius Nemo gathers a group of Pioneer "free traders" and begins a series of raids on Imperial shipping.
Though Nemo's fleet was often met and even defeated in battle with the INP, Nemo himself managed to avoid capture.
A major bombing of an Imperial Naval Depot causes Senate to impose strict sanctions on the Pioneer world of Icin.
Several strikes on other worlds follow, but the Empire is unwilling to negociate. The quotas on Salidnium are increased as "payment" for the bombing.
Due to an increase in terrorist activity in the Pioneer sector, Fleet Marines have taken strong positions on the most troubled worlds. New bases are built and troops are stationed there. Though martial law is not officially declared, many feel this is just a formality.
Notorious Captain J. Nemo was captured by Fleet Intelligence. He was tried and hung for treason against the Emperor.
Many Senatoral families began to sponsor Pioneer families, settle on Pioneer worlds and take Pioneer issues seriously. Some did this because Governorships of such worlds were being gladly handed out in the Senate. Others felt the Pioneers raised serious issues and wanted to begin mending the rift between Hope and Icin. Still a large amount of tension existed between the Imperials and their conquered brothers. Terrorist acts continued, but most thwarted, or the perpetrators quickly caught by Fleet Int or the INP.
The Azereth family was originally Pioneer stock. Vel Azereth was a respected INP commander and Advisor on Pioneer Affairs to the Senate. He was seated on 238 LGY 631.
Though progress had been made to integrate the Pioneers in the power structure, there was still a great deal of hatred of the Empire in Deneri. Several terrorist organizations made routine threats and attacks on Imperial personnel and sympathizers. This included many of the "New Imperials", like the Azereth family.
Kite was secretly a member of a terrorist organization called "Free Icin." He made a bid for control of a powerful miners' union and was elected president. His first act was to consolidate the various unions around the planet. This gave the labour movement great power, as a general strike would halt Salidnium production from the rich Icin mines.
Such a strike occurred in LGY 664. Kite used the issue of "Salidnium Shakes" disease to stir anti-corp sentiment. A strike soon followed. The strike was characterized by stalemated discussions with management and several incidences of violence -- especially against members of the few miners' unions that had not joined Kite.
Several units of the INP were called in to end the strike by any means necessary. However, one such operation resulted in an office building explosion which killed hundreds of miners. Kite blamed the Police for deliberately destroying the building. As retaliation, Kite ordered the murder of several of the Diplomatic Corps that arrived to settle the dispute. This included Shia Azereth. For this crime, the GMU and Landry Kite would become Barren.
The present.