Amazonian Beasts
29-04-2006, 00:56
OOC: I've found that referencing my abandoned storefronts aren't good references due to changing times, and I'm too lazy to make a wiki article, so, a reference will have to serve me. Sorta like an updated factbook.
The Dominion of Amazonian Beasts
A Reference
History of the Dominion:
The modern Amazonian Dominion has had a turbulent history, rocked by scandal, strife, and internal conflict. The very beginnings of what would later make the current autocracy are muddied at best, though it came from the transplantation of humans from the original birthworld in the Milky Way Galaxy. What this world was, or possibly, is, is still a total mystery to the inhabitants of the Dominion, but what is known is fifteen massive colony ships from the original world found their way into a vast tract of space, now calculated to be over 35 sectors in volume, engulfed nearly entirely in ionic bands known as the "Shroud". The ionic bands that encompass the Shroud are destabilizing and catastrophic to both technology and organics alike, and even extend into other dimensional fields, such as that of hyperspace. Technology in the Shroud's fields shut down and eventually short out completely, relegated totally useless. Organics caught in the ionic fields have complete mental failiures, brain contacts ceasing as they are interfered with by the unknown nature of the Shroud's affects on electricity of any kind (including those short electric bursts of the brain of organics). However, one conduit through this sphere of evil does exist, passing the outer edge of the Sagitarrius Arm in a thin yet long expanse of space passing through the one-planet system of Menoon. The only planet in this system, also titled Menoon, seems very evil just by looks alone. Passing by the planet instills a sense of fear and anguish, something that can be fed upon by the evils in the galaxy. Almost as if the Shroud itself were artificially constructed (such thought has been proposed in Dominion centers of thought, though never has evidence been found to confirm this theory). However, passage by this evil system is required to simply make it into the Shroud's safe interior.
The original colonists did pass by this system, conquering their fears and moving into the Shroud's open, expansive interior of safe space. Moving farther into the interior, not much in the way of sentient species existed to contest the colonists' passing. The members of the expedition finally settled on a planet to settle, a snow world with the name of Polus. Polus proved hostile against the efforts of the colonists, and of the original 640,000, by the first anniversary of landing, only 320,000 survived the year. However, the colonists were adapting: learning the ways of the world, the colonists were able to locate deposits of elements neccessary for the use of higher technological manufacturing. Soon, the colonists had a working colony up and operational at Polus, numbering 429,000 by the tenth year after a wayward colony ship of another type crashed, mignling more colonists in.
The colony on Polus was able to prosper, against all odds. The environment, the native fauna, were very hostile and took the lives of many, yet the tech and will of the outsiders prevailed against what seemed a doomed journey. 100 years passed uneventfully as the colonists quickly brought the colony up to a Grade-8 civilization, having low-orbit craft and easily able to traverse the planet without difficulty. The colony spread across Polus, a small planet to begin, but soon settled with establishments all over. The early days were mostly uneventful after the colonists were able to find how to survive.
120 years after the founding of the colony as a whole, Polus was well-settled. Other colony ships of humans, picking their way through the Shroud after being lost to space, found their ways to Polus through detection of the planet's activity. The colony blossomed, becoming a major outpost in an otherwise quiet sector. The colony grew shortly after to Grade-10 for society, being able to reconstruct the high speed power needed to traverse space. Though hyperspace was not yet discovered by this time, the colonists had a way to quickly travel about the solar system of Polus, though no other inhabitable planets existed in-system. Polus, and one gas giant, provided raw materials to keep up pace in development. One major hit that came on the scene at this time was the development of upper-echelon genetic engineering. After the discovery of underground "sanctuaries" on Polus brimming with organic materials and tranquil fauna, Polus genetic scientists began moving towards higher studies in biotech, including cloning and genetic manipulation. The colony's population, in the meantime, boomed with a high reproduction rate.
The discovery of hyperspace was short in the making. With the development of devices capable of sending a ship into another dimension, where FtL travel was possible, ships could now be quickly sent to other dimensions, unlike the old days of floundering years through space to reach other dimensions. The colonists began sending expeditions to other parts of the Shroud to explore and colonize. However, this also opened up problems.
There turned out to be another group of sentients in the Shroud, an alien race calling themselves the Zaxaron Covenant. The Covenant raided the exploration ships, smiting them with the full force and power of their military, using alien technology and weapons. Zaxarons, questioning those humans captured and tortured, the location of the human base on Polus. Polusians were shocked the next day when a Zaxaron light freighter shot overhead, dropping large bundles containing the mangled body parts of the human explorers and bodies contorted in misshapen forms. This horrified the humans to the Zaxarons' cruelty, solidifying their resolve against the hostile force. They quickly equipped primitive mass drivers on their starships that were built for exploration, fighting back a Zaxaron invasion force against incredible odds and significant loss of life, utilizing every man avaliable.
The Polusians, embittered against the evil foe, took the fight to the enemy. The Zaxaron colony world of Mate'ii was struck by a retribution force of the Polusians, and then the Zaxaron orbital base above their homeworld of Ongool was destroyed. With the humans controlling the orbit of Ongool, the Zaxarons' days were limited, and revenge came swift. A week later, the main force of the Polusians came down on Ongool with fire and iron, striking the Zaxarons everywhere they stood. High-speed dive bombers spred fires across the surface of Ongool, setting the planet's surface ablaze to cauterize the planet from the evil sentients that lurked there. The Zaxarons had no chance whatsoever, and were massacred. If the mass driver weaponry of aerial Polusian craft finished the military and government of the Zaxarons, the civilian population perished in a massive firestorm that engulfed every living thing on the planet. The entire race perished.
With their main competitor gone, the Polusians, no aware how fragile life was, focused on stepping up a military. Warships began being produced, other worlds colonized as frontiers and outposts, a strong formation growing up. Four main planets soon existed to form this commenwealth of man amidst the Shroud: Polus, Amazonia, Thyphorri, and Uma-Kiin.
Together, these planets formed the Alliance of Four, but it was really more of a Polus Republic. The planets began to feel as individuals, but Polus controlled over all of them. The Polusians began to feel superior, better than the rest of the worlds they had conquered, an inward spirit that had not spread out to the colony worlds. The united feel that the Polusians had shot for was not readily avaliable for all the worlds that participated in this alliance. In particular, the Amazonians were the rabble-rousers, staging a massive civilian riot in the year 1578 AF (After Founding). The Polusians began centeralizing more and more power in the Alliance Forum on Polus itself, collecting more power and drawing that from the other members. The other worlds chafed under this, but Uma-Kiin and Thyphorri did nothing. Amazonia, however, was looking for a fight.
In 1636 AF, Amazonia was a lush, green planet, brimming with life, yet also the military hub of the Alliance as designated by the Alliance accords. Hence, the Amazonians had the inbred advantage of having the significant military power and manufacturing ability. As the negotiations fell apart on Polus, the Amazonian war machine geared up for war against the other three planets of the Alliance. The Amazonians, taking advantage of Congressional stalling on Polus, invaded the neighboring Typhori system, the breadbasket world of the Dominion, a weak world with barely a military defense. An easy victory for the Amazonians ensued, routing the Thyphori military with simplicity. The Alliance reeled from the Amazonian treachery, reacting by expelling the Amazonian delegates and all Amazonian citizens of the planet from Polus.
The Polusian response was predicted by the Amazonians, who were convinced the Polusian mastery was at an end. The acting Amazonian Prime Minister, Vel Ky-An, ordered a total war on the two remaining worlds of the Alliance not yet under Amazonian control, Polus and Uma-Kiin. Uma-Kiin was the first target, the volatile lava world that was under pressure from the massive gas giants and blue star in the system. The star system was the industry and economic center for the Alliance, Uma-Kiin and the abundnance of gas giants providing mineral and gas wealth for weapons, ships, construction, and a variety of other uses. Nevertheless, the orbital defenses of the planet fell quickly to the blitzkreiging Amazonians, and the ground occupation was launched shortly thereafter. However, the land attack was not to go as planned. The Uma-Kiini, aware of the Amazonian's tense and violent ways on Polus for months before, had prepared in the event of war. As the main land forces of Uma-Kiin were shredded by the Amazonian war machines, the citizens went underground, using the planet's naturally resistant features and lava rivers to hamper Amazonian movements. The guerilla war lasted for eight months, before the Amazonians, threatening to simply slag the planet from orbit, promised to spare the citizens some luxeries, provided they surrendered. They did, and only Polus now lay in the advance for the Amazonians.
The Polusians, blissfully unaware of the Thyfori battle, were woken up by the attack and invasion of Uma-Kiin. The Polusians attempted to construct a military in the eight-month war on Uma-Kiin, but it was barely enough to slow down the orbital monster of the Amazonian space fleet. However, the cold temperatures and heavy snowfall worked very well to the Polusians's advantage. The Amazonian ground forces, not very well prepared for cold-weather fighting, were slowed considerably on the advance to the capital, giving the Polusians desperate time needed to construct considerable defenses inside the 50-mile shield that defended the capital, the last bastion of resistance against the Amazonians. What followed once the Amazonians entered the shield barrier was a gruesome, bloody, devestating battle. The Polusians, desperate for all possible survival, had armed every citizen, utilizing human shields to try and force the Amazonians to hold fire on non-military targets. They underestimated their enemy in this tactic, and many civilians were slaughtered by artillery and repeater fire. The static defenses around the massive city, however, were a real hassle to the Amazonians, and ground repulsor vehicles were slaughtered trying to breach the outer walls. Long-range artillery, combined with massive gunship strikes, finally breached the gates to the city, allowing the ground forces of the Amazonains to enter the city under heavy fire from the static guns. As the capital was utterly razed by the superior numbers of the Amazonians, the city dwellers continued to fight back, praying for a miracle, a miracle that never came. The city was levelled by Amazonian armor and artillery, at a cost of over two hundred thousand Amazonians and over two million citizens of the city.
With all resistance finally crushed, the Amazonians relocated the capital to Amazonia, announcing the Federation of Amazonian Beasts to rule for saftey and security.
The Federation ruled quietly for the next 1600 years, peacefully expanding borders while providing for the Federation citizens. The population growth grew incredibly, and genetic improvements continued to influence life. A new breed of humans was arising in the Federation, a group known as the Modifieds. These were genetically altered and enhanced humans, built to be better than the norm. However, this would eventually cause the downfall of the Federation, though it would die hard. An internal struggle first rocked the Federation, occuring in 3245 AF. A group of seperatists from Uma-Kiin, one of the Foundation Worlds, decided to break from the Federation, assuming the Amazonians were doing the same thing the Polusians had done 1600 years before and accumulating too much power.
The Amazonians would have none of this. Quickly amassing forces, the Amazonians moved in on the Uma-Kiini, blitzing through orbital fields and minelaying devices with the speed and numbers of a charge. The war soon hit the ground, and the Amazonians were once again fighting on the lava-strewn territory that their forefathers had done 1600 years before to win dominance. The Uma-Kiini showed their usual stubborn selves, fighting bitterly amidst the volanic eruptions and lava rivers the careened down falls and cliffs in a dazzling array of danger and beauty. The ground war was hard-fought, but the Amazonians used aerial dominance to their advantage, using fighters and bombers to strike again and again at Uma-Kiini positions with heavy firepower and swift attacks. The Uma-Kiini hung on for a while, however, stretching the ground war for 4 months as the Amazonians slugged it out with the dug-in defenders of the world. However, going against the government this time was suicide for the rebellion. The Amazonians were exponentially greater warriors than the Polusians, ignoring casulties and striking with precision and tactical genius to rout the Uma-Kiini and seemingly every battle. It was inevitable that the defenders would lose, and as it came out, they did. The Amazonians instilled marshal law on the planet, ruling supremely and with harsh rule for 15 years over Uma-Kiin before relaxing. By this time, approximately 3261 AF, the Federation was a huge entity, spanning the entire Shroud all the way to Menoon itself, the conduit world that guided the entrance to the Shroud. However, such an entity could never last, and indeed, as a Democracy underneath, it didn't. Free-thinking minds, looking for more power, wanted more.
A strong general of the Amazonian military, High General Kale Droma, served with distinction through the Uma-Kiin conflict. He didn't agree with the methods of the Amazonians, who generally spared civilians and didn't use harsh methods that were avaliable to maximise efficiency. He taught such methods to his son, Kyp, who at the age of 6 at 3289 AF, was already brilliant in military affairs. Kale was killed by a criminal in 3302 AF, and this spurred the then-19 year-old Kyp to join the navy so he could take action on those who caused evil. Kyp quickly expressed his military genius, rising through the ranks. He was the youngest-ever elected fleet admiral at the age of 30 in 3313 AF due to his brilliance in dealing with a small uprising again of Uma-Kiin, and his close ties to the bulk of the men of the military. However, Kyp still shared some of his father's ideals, and he looked for reform. He was a generally violent man, though, and he knew the stubborn Federation wouldn't look to reform easily. It would require revolution.
A strong Force-user, Droma was able to win over the passions of his men easily, infuriating his superiors when the bulk of the military preferred Droma to other, more favored by the high council military leaders. When the military brass tried to demote Droma for a fabricated charge in 3320 AF, Droma decided action was necessary. From the outpost colon of Talasea, Droma declared a state of revolution against the Federation. Intolerant of this, the Federation tried to mobilize its war machine, but realized that nearly half of its force was gone; taken by Droma and won over to his faction. It was nearly an even fight now.
Droma knew he had to move quickly to prevent defeat in such a war. Utilizing the easy mobility of his forces, Droma struck out from Talasea in lightning strikes on nearby systems, fighting quickly and brutally to the defenders, taking easy victories. The Federation navy finally caught up, winning a narrow victory over Droma above the sinkhole world of Saleupau. However, it wasn't enough: this Federation navy was quickly cut up by a reinforcing force from Droma's group, and Saleupau was taken. The major droid factory of the Federation was now fueling Droma's war machine, cranking out war automatons to fight against the fire of the Federation. The will of the Federation was having cracks, and Droma was quick to exploit, moving in on the Foundation worlds. He soon had Polus and Uma-Kiin, but was captured on a battle he personally led on Thyphori. The Federation took advantage of the stunned revolutionaries, fighting them off of Uma-Kiin and Polus. The Federation looked to have made the move to win after the capture of Droma, but loyal followers of Droma would not be denied. A professional assassin sniped the Federation president at a public address and killed him before losing his own life, and a crack commando team burst into the High-Security factility where Droma was kept in isolation, raiding the factility and freeing their esteemed leader. Droma, back in command, was now even more aggressive, wiping out an entire city, civilians and all, on Polus in retribution before retaking the tundra world. He launched a campaign of fear against the remaining three free Foundation worlds, making public displays of Federation civilians on public addresses to the planets and regularly sending body parts of Federation personnel to the capital of Amazonia. The Federation was disgusted, and vowed to kill the man who had orchestrated the revolution. Staging another move like the one that had captured Droma the first time, the Federation attacked en masse against a ground force led by Droma on Uma-Kiin, but this time they failed, every member of the force killed by the revolutionaries, some in bloody and gruesome ways.
Droma focused his attention on Thyphori before moving on Amazonia, launching a horrific campaign on the peace-loving, breadbasket world that slaughtered civilians by the thousands. No one on the Federation world was safe, and any pleas for mercy were met with capture, torture, and execution. The inhabitants were killed or sent to the labor camps that now dotted remote worlds under control of the revolutionaries, now bursting with civilians and military personnel from young children to elderly seniors. It seemed the horros Droma launched on the Federation would not end, his campaign expertly organized to shock and terrify the Federation into a state below efficiency. And it worked perfectly to Droma's expectations until only the crown jewel was left: Amazonia.
The capital world was a city-planet, engulfed in one strecthing city the gobbled up every shred of nature on Amazonia that was once there. Billions lived on the planet, the civilian population booming, the center of government and the Federation military both located there. Droma was savvy enough to know the kind of resistance the Federation, now with barely a navy, would put up on the ground, but he had to make it through the intricate orbital defenses first. Bursting in with a giant naval force, Droma conducted a aggressive battle against the orbital guns, platforms and stations throwing fire against Droma's well-positioned capital ships and fighters. After numerous losses and kills, Droma once again emerged victorious, now looking to the Amazonian soil below him. Droma launched a massive orbital bombardment of Amazonia, targeting government buildings, police headquarters, military barracks, and anything else of value in particular. The Amazonians were hit badly, many cowed, when the revolutionaries hit the cityscape on the ground. The ground campaign was bloody for both sides, Droma hitting military and civilian targets to eliminate his opposition, but his victory was inevitable. After a strenuous ground campaign that drove on for 6 months, Droma finally emerged from Amazonian victorious. The Federation was over.
Quickly fighting up from the end of conflict, Droma began a government of total autocracy, with him as the sole dictator. Dubbed the "Imperial Dominion of Amazonian Beasts", the Dominion was the strong, new substance to replace the Federation, and Droma was no people-oriented president. He obeyed his own agenda, casting all the unmodified minority, who had been treated like special citizens under the Federation, into slavery, along with all those who had been imprisoned into the labor camps during the war. The government was intolerant of free speech, shutting down shaky organizations and imprisoning feisty individuals. A reign of absolute power from the top came down on the Dominion, based from the rebuilt Amazonia.
Now, 24 years after the Dominion came to, it is 3347 AF. Droma is still sole ruler of the Dominion, but his time is drawing nearer and nearer to a close, and he knows it. The Dominion has come to many more advancements than the Federation, the BioWar program of creating an artificial fighting species well under way. The citizens of the Dominion, though not enjoying the Federation's freedoms, are much safer and have many more advancements and ease of life, encouraging a high rate of happiness amongst citizens. Under Droma's hand now are five suitors to the throne: five force-strong individuals all sharing Droma's lust for evil and all imerssed in power. All five have the potential to replace and surpass Droma, in position, power, and the eye of the people, with spiraling potential. But they will have to make it past each other first.
The Shroud still envelops the Dominion, which ended colonization efforts at the massive ionic cloud that seems impassible. The area of space is becoming increasingly full as more and more humans continue to be produced in the Dominion. More space will eventually be needed to be found and taken to support the Dominion's burdening population. However, contact with the outside world is not out of the question, as the Dominion at any given time has many reconnaisance naval groups out of the Shroud, collecting information, technology, and plunder from what may come outside of the Shroud, in the heavens that abound.
Population:
The Dominion's chief race is human, however, genetics is a prevalent field throughout the empire. Through genetic manipulation throughout the history of the Amazonians, modifications to the human genome have brought around the rise of an advanced human as the main inhabitant of the Dominion. Generally standing at heights from 6'6" for females to 7'2" for males, these humans are generally heavily muscled and highly intelligent, with an intelligent quotient around 130 average. Some unmodified humans do remain, however, they are generally enslaved into either governmental tasks or private use.
A vast array of cybernetics and robotics has given rise to droids as heavy laborers and doers of various other tasks. Lower-class citizens generally have at least one droid to assist them. Droids also serve a large portion of the vast military that patrols the Dominion, from Droid infantry and individual soldiers to large droid gunboats and tanks. Droids do not serve any central control; rather, they each have individual core conscious that is programmed into absolute loyalty and the ability to think creatively. In a way, the droids are almost better than organics.
Culture and Language:
The Dominion uses the galactic standard, Basic, that many other galactic nations also utilize for ease of communication. The original Amazonian was lost eons ago, shrouded in the mists of time. Possibly historians still hold the ancient language, but it is no longer of use. The unmodified human population uses a variant on Basic to communicate among themselves; this language is prohibited in public due to the inferiority of the unmodified race.
The Dominion has lost many of the traditions that the old Federation used, more in a way to distinguish themselves as unique.
The military has become the focal point of pride for the Dominion. Programs such as public health, education, and, forbid, the environment, have all been relegated the back seat by the rise of policing and military juntas that serve under the Emperor. Young girls and boys, indenfied at age 10 for showing strength or intelligence, are taken from homes to enter training for military life. Thus, the family unit has also severely declined, though having a child selected for military duty is a source of utmost civic pride amongst the Dominion civilians (who are also compensated hansomely for their child-rearing).
Public health is less of an issue due to the enhanced cybernetics and genetics programs and modifications initiated by Dominion scientists. It is worth to be noted, however, that nearly all the medical innovations now taken for granted in the Dominion have roots in the military, whether from the initial revolt against the Alliance to the recent bio-ship program against the Federation. Private enterprise hospitals exist for the treatment of disease or defects, and lesser divisions in the hospital treat the inferior unmodified humans for their diseases. The Unmodifieds frequent health centers much more often, lacking the genetic immuno-defense systems or bio-repair units of the Master Race.
Economics:
The economy forms the backbone that churns out the military machine of the Dominion. Most economic ventures are focused on shipbuilding, armorworks, or military supplies. Droid foundries are another large source of economics, along with computer and artificial intelligence units and bio-engineering. Various companies on all levels of military engineering are allowed to exist and compete, trying to attract the best deals and best offers to the government for contracts. Several companies, including the major FrontLine Armor Works, have all tried to expand corporate boundries beyond the Dominion, but success has been very limited, and goals are much easier found inside the Dominion's borders.
Mining and resource gathering has become a very lucrative profit sector. Gas Giants, found to contain abundant gases for use in engine primary sequencers and firing chambers on capital and infantry energy weapons. Massive aerial platforms are established in the atmospheres of gas planets to collect, refine, and contain the highly proficient gases. Mining strips on asteroids, comets, or atmosphere-less worlds have also found abundance in the Dominion. The mining complexes work Unmodifieds to near-death levels to collect precious and utilitarian metals for various purposes. These mines are some of the highest profit gatherers among industries, the metals gathered and refined by the mines constantly needed for production in shipbuilding and armor construction.
The Dominion of Amazonian Beasts
A Reference
History of the Dominion:
The modern Amazonian Dominion has had a turbulent history, rocked by scandal, strife, and internal conflict. The very beginnings of what would later make the current autocracy are muddied at best, though it came from the transplantation of humans from the original birthworld in the Milky Way Galaxy. What this world was, or possibly, is, is still a total mystery to the inhabitants of the Dominion, but what is known is fifteen massive colony ships from the original world found their way into a vast tract of space, now calculated to be over 35 sectors in volume, engulfed nearly entirely in ionic bands known as the "Shroud". The ionic bands that encompass the Shroud are destabilizing and catastrophic to both technology and organics alike, and even extend into other dimensional fields, such as that of hyperspace. Technology in the Shroud's fields shut down and eventually short out completely, relegated totally useless. Organics caught in the ionic fields have complete mental failiures, brain contacts ceasing as they are interfered with by the unknown nature of the Shroud's affects on electricity of any kind (including those short electric bursts of the brain of organics). However, one conduit through this sphere of evil does exist, passing the outer edge of the Sagitarrius Arm in a thin yet long expanse of space passing through the one-planet system of Menoon. The only planet in this system, also titled Menoon, seems very evil just by looks alone. Passing by the planet instills a sense of fear and anguish, something that can be fed upon by the evils in the galaxy. Almost as if the Shroud itself were artificially constructed (such thought has been proposed in Dominion centers of thought, though never has evidence been found to confirm this theory). However, passage by this evil system is required to simply make it into the Shroud's safe interior.
The original colonists did pass by this system, conquering their fears and moving into the Shroud's open, expansive interior of safe space. Moving farther into the interior, not much in the way of sentient species existed to contest the colonists' passing. The members of the expedition finally settled on a planet to settle, a snow world with the name of Polus. Polus proved hostile against the efforts of the colonists, and of the original 640,000, by the first anniversary of landing, only 320,000 survived the year. However, the colonists were adapting: learning the ways of the world, the colonists were able to locate deposits of elements neccessary for the use of higher technological manufacturing. Soon, the colonists had a working colony up and operational at Polus, numbering 429,000 by the tenth year after a wayward colony ship of another type crashed, mignling more colonists in.
The colony on Polus was able to prosper, against all odds. The environment, the native fauna, were very hostile and took the lives of many, yet the tech and will of the outsiders prevailed against what seemed a doomed journey. 100 years passed uneventfully as the colonists quickly brought the colony up to a Grade-8 civilization, having low-orbit craft and easily able to traverse the planet without difficulty. The colony spread across Polus, a small planet to begin, but soon settled with establishments all over. The early days were mostly uneventful after the colonists were able to find how to survive.
120 years after the founding of the colony as a whole, Polus was well-settled. Other colony ships of humans, picking their way through the Shroud after being lost to space, found their ways to Polus through detection of the planet's activity. The colony blossomed, becoming a major outpost in an otherwise quiet sector. The colony grew shortly after to Grade-10 for society, being able to reconstruct the high speed power needed to traverse space. Though hyperspace was not yet discovered by this time, the colonists had a way to quickly travel about the solar system of Polus, though no other inhabitable planets existed in-system. Polus, and one gas giant, provided raw materials to keep up pace in development. One major hit that came on the scene at this time was the development of upper-echelon genetic engineering. After the discovery of underground "sanctuaries" on Polus brimming with organic materials and tranquil fauna, Polus genetic scientists began moving towards higher studies in biotech, including cloning and genetic manipulation. The colony's population, in the meantime, boomed with a high reproduction rate.
The discovery of hyperspace was short in the making. With the development of devices capable of sending a ship into another dimension, where FtL travel was possible, ships could now be quickly sent to other dimensions, unlike the old days of floundering years through space to reach other dimensions. The colonists began sending expeditions to other parts of the Shroud to explore and colonize. However, this also opened up problems.
There turned out to be another group of sentients in the Shroud, an alien race calling themselves the Zaxaron Covenant. The Covenant raided the exploration ships, smiting them with the full force and power of their military, using alien technology and weapons. Zaxarons, questioning those humans captured and tortured, the location of the human base on Polus. Polusians were shocked the next day when a Zaxaron light freighter shot overhead, dropping large bundles containing the mangled body parts of the human explorers and bodies contorted in misshapen forms. This horrified the humans to the Zaxarons' cruelty, solidifying their resolve against the hostile force. They quickly equipped primitive mass drivers on their starships that were built for exploration, fighting back a Zaxaron invasion force against incredible odds and significant loss of life, utilizing every man avaliable.
The Polusians, embittered against the evil foe, took the fight to the enemy. The Zaxaron colony world of Mate'ii was struck by a retribution force of the Polusians, and then the Zaxaron orbital base above their homeworld of Ongool was destroyed. With the humans controlling the orbit of Ongool, the Zaxarons' days were limited, and revenge came swift. A week later, the main force of the Polusians came down on Ongool with fire and iron, striking the Zaxarons everywhere they stood. High-speed dive bombers spred fires across the surface of Ongool, setting the planet's surface ablaze to cauterize the planet from the evil sentients that lurked there. The Zaxarons had no chance whatsoever, and were massacred. If the mass driver weaponry of aerial Polusian craft finished the military and government of the Zaxarons, the civilian population perished in a massive firestorm that engulfed every living thing on the planet. The entire race perished.
With their main competitor gone, the Polusians, no aware how fragile life was, focused on stepping up a military. Warships began being produced, other worlds colonized as frontiers and outposts, a strong formation growing up. Four main planets soon existed to form this commenwealth of man amidst the Shroud: Polus, Amazonia, Thyphorri, and Uma-Kiin.
Together, these planets formed the Alliance of Four, but it was really more of a Polus Republic. The planets began to feel as individuals, but Polus controlled over all of them. The Polusians began to feel superior, better than the rest of the worlds they had conquered, an inward spirit that had not spread out to the colony worlds. The united feel that the Polusians had shot for was not readily avaliable for all the worlds that participated in this alliance. In particular, the Amazonians were the rabble-rousers, staging a massive civilian riot in the year 1578 AF (After Founding). The Polusians began centeralizing more and more power in the Alliance Forum on Polus itself, collecting more power and drawing that from the other members. The other worlds chafed under this, but Uma-Kiin and Thyphorri did nothing. Amazonia, however, was looking for a fight.
In 1636 AF, Amazonia was a lush, green planet, brimming with life, yet also the military hub of the Alliance as designated by the Alliance accords. Hence, the Amazonians had the inbred advantage of having the significant military power and manufacturing ability. As the negotiations fell apart on Polus, the Amazonian war machine geared up for war against the other three planets of the Alliance. The Amazonians, taking advantage of Congressional stalling on Polus, invaded the neighboring Typhori system, the breadbasket world of the Dominion, a weak world with barely a military defense. An easy victory for the Amazonians ensued, routing the Thyphori military with simplicity. The Alliance reeled from the Amazonian treachery, reacting by expelling the Amazonian delegates and all Amazonian citizens of the planet from Polus.
The Polusian response was predicted by the Amazonians, who were convinced the Polusian mastery was at an end. The acting Amazonian Prime Minister, Vel Ky-An, ordered a total war on the two remaining worlds of the Alliance not yet under Amazonian control, Polus and Uma-Kiin. Uma-Kiin was the first target, the volatile lava world that was under pressure from the massive gas giants and blue star in the system. The star system was the industry and economic center for the Alliance, Uma-Kiin and the abundnance of gas giants providing mineral and gas wealth for weapons, ships, construction, and a variety of other uses. Nevertheless, the orbital defenses of the planet fell quickly to the blitzkreiging Amazonians, and the ground occupation was launched shortly thereafter. However, the land attack was not to go as planned. The Uma-Kiini, aware of the Amazonian's tense and violent ways on Polus for months before, had prepared in the event of war. As the main land forces of Uma-Kiin were shredded by the Amazonian war machines, the citizens went underground, using the planet's naturally resistant features and lava rivers to hamper Amazonian movements. The guerilla war lasted for eight months, before the Amazonians, threatening to simply slag the planet from orbit, promised to spare the citizens some luxeries, provided they surrendered. They did, and only Polus now lay in the advance for the Amazonians.
The Polusians, blissfully unaware of the Thyfori battle, were woken up by the attack and invasion of Uma-Kiin. The Polusians attempted to construct a military in the eight-month war on Uma-Kiin, but it was barely enough to slow down the orbital monster of the Amazonian space fleet. However, the cold temperatures and heavy snowfall worked very well to the Polusians's advantage. The Amazonian ground forces, not very well prepared for cold-weather fighting, were slowed considerably on the advance to the capital, giving the Polusians desperate time needed to construct considerable defenses inside the 50-mile shield that defended the capital, the last bastion of resistance against the Amazonians. What followed once the Amazonians entered the shield barrier was a gruesome, bloody, devestating battle. The Polusians, desperate for all possible survival, had armed every citizen, utilizing human shields to try and force the Amazonians to hold fire on non-military targets. They underestimated their enemy in this tactic, and many civilians were slaughtered by artillery and repeater fire. The static defenses around the massive city, however, were a real hassle to the Amazonians, and ground repulsor vehicles were slaughtered trying to breach the outer walls. Long-range artillery, combined with massive gunship strikes, finally breached the gates to the city, allowing the ground forces of the Amazonains to enter the city under heavy fire from the static guns. As the capital was utterly razed by the superior numbers of the Amazonians, the city dwellers continued to fight back, praying for a miracle, a miracle that never came. The city was levelled by Amazonian armor and artillery, at a cost of over two hundred thousand Amazonians and over two million citizens of the city.
With all resistance finally crushed, the Amazonians relocated the capital to Amazonia, announcing the Federation of Amazonian Beasts to rule for saftey and security.
The Federation ruled quietly for the next 1600 years, peacefully expanding borders while providing for the Federation citizens. The population growth grew incredibly, and genetic improvements continued to influence life. A new breed of humans was arising in the Federation, a group known as the Modifieds. These were genetically altered and enhanced humans, built to be better than the norm. However, this would eventually cause the downfall of the Federation, though it would die hard. An internal struggle first rocked the Federation, occuring in 3245 AF. A group of seperatists from Uma-Kiin, one of the Foundation Worlds, decided to break from the Federation, assuming the Amazonians were doing the same thing the Polusians had done 1600 years before and accumulating too much power.
The Amazonians would have none of this. Quickly amassing forces, the Amazonians moved in on the Uma-Kiini, blitzing through orbital fields and minelaying devices with the speed and numbers of a charge. The war soon hit the ground, and the Amazonians were once again fighting on the lava-strewn territory that their forefathers had done 1600 years before to win dominance. The Uma-Kiini showed their usual stubborn selves, fighting bitterly amidst the volanic eruptions and lava rivers the careened down falls and cliffs in a dazzling array of danger and beauty. The ground war was hard-fought, but the Amazonians used aerial dominance to their advantage, using fighters and bombers to strike again and again at Uma-Kiini positions with heavy firepower and swift attacks. The Uma-Kiini hung on for a while, however, stretching the ground war for 4 months as the Amazonians slugged it out with the dug-in defenders of the world. However, going against the government this time was suicide for the rebellion. The Amazonians were exponentially greater warriors than the Polusians, ignoring casulties and striking with precision and tactical genius to rout the Uma-Kiini and seemingly every battle. It was inevitable that the defenders would lose, and as it came out, they did. The Amazonians instilled marshal law on the planet, ruling supremely and with harsh rule for 15 years over Uma-Kiin before relaxing. By this time, approximately 3261 AF, the Federation was a huge entity, spanning the entire Shroud all the way to Menoon itself, the conduit world that guided the entrance to the Shroud. However, such an entity could never last, and indeed, as a Democracy underneath, it didn't. Free-thinking minds, looking for more power, wanted more.
A strong general of the Amazonian military, High General Kale Droma, served with distinction through the Uma-Kiin conflict. He didn't agree with the methods of the Amazonians, who generally spared civilians and didn't use harsh methods that were avaliable to maximise efficiency. He taught such methods to his son, Kyp, who at the age of 6 at 3289 AF, was already brilliant in military affairs. Kale was killed by a criminal in 3302 AF, and this spurred the then-19 year-old Kyp to join the navy so he could take action on those who caused evil. Kyp quickly expressed his military genius, rising through the ranks. He was the youngest-ever elected fleet admiral at the age of 30 in 3313 AF due to his brilliance in dealing with a small uprising again of Uma-Kiin, and his close ties to the bulk of the men of the military. However, Kyp still shared some of his father's ideals, and he looked for reform. He was a generally violent man, though, and he knew the stubborn Federation wouldn't look to reform easily. It would require revolution.
A strong Force-user, Droma was able to win over the passions of his men easily, infuriating his superiors when the bulk of the military preferred Droma to other, more favored by the high council military leaders. When the military brass tried to demote Droma for a fabricated charge in 3320 AF, Droma decided action was necessary. From the outpost colon of Talasea, Droma declared a state of revolution against the Federation. Intolerant of this, the Federation tried to mobilize its war machine, but realized that nearly half of its force was gone; taken by Droma and won over to his faction. It was nearly an even fight now.
Droma knew he had to move quickly to prevent defeat in such a war. Utilizing the easy mobility of his forces, Droma struck out from Talasea in lightning strikes on nearby systems, fighting quickly and brutally to the defenders, taking easy victories. The Federation navy finally caught up, winning a narrow victory over Droma above the sinkhole world of Saleupau. However, it wasn't enough: this Federation navy was quickly cut up by a reinforcing force from Droma's group, and Saleupau was taken. The major droid factory of the Federation was now fueling Droma's war machine, cranking out war automatons to fight against the fire of the Federation. The will of the Federation was having cracks, and Droma was quick to exploit, moving in on the Foundation worlds. He soon had Polus and Uma-Kiin, but was captured on a battle he personally led on Thyphori. The Federation took advantage of the stunned revolutionaries, fighting them off of Uma-Kiin and Polus. The Federation looked to have made the move to win after the capture of Droma, but loyal followers of Droma would not be denied. A professional assassin sniped the Federation president at a public address and killed him before losing his own life, and a crack commando team burst into the High-Security factility where Droma was kept in isolation, raiding the factility and freeing their esteemed leader. Droma, back in command, was now even more aggressive, wiping out an entire city, civilians and all, on Polus in retribution before retaking the tundra world. He launched a campaign of fear against the remaining three free Foundation worlds, making public displays of Federation civilians on public addresses to the planets and regularly sending body parts of Federation personnel to the capital of Amazonia. The Federation was disgusted, and vowed to kill the man who had orchestrated the revolution. Staging another move like the one that had captured Droma the first time, the Federation attacked en masse against a ground force led by Droma on Uma-Kiin, but this time they failed, every member of the force killed by the revolutionaries, some in bloody and gruesome ways.
Droma focused his attention on Thyphori before moving on Amazonia, launching a horrific campaign on the peace-loving, breadbasket world that slaughtered civilians by the thousands. No one on the Federation world was safe, and any pleas for mercy were met with capture, torture, and execution. The inhabitants were killed or sent to the labor camps that now dotted remote worlds under control of the revolutionaries, now bursting with civilians and military personnel from young children to elderly seniors. It seemed the horros Droma launched on the Federation would not end, his campaign expertly organized to shock and terrify the Federation into a state below efficiency. And it worked perfectly to Droma's expectations until only the crown jewel was left: Amazonia.
The capital world was a city-planet, engulfed in one strecthing city the gobbled up every shred of nature on Amazonia that was once there. Billions lived on the planet, the civilian population booming, the center of government and the Federation military both located there. Droma was savvy enough to know the kind of resistance the Federation, now with barely a navy, would put up on the ground, but he had to make it through the intricate orbital defenses first. Bursting in with a giant naval force, Droma conducted a aggressive battle against the orbital guns, platforms and stations throwing fire against Droma's well-positioned capital ships and fighters. After numerous losses and kills, Droma once again emerged victorious, now looking to the Amazonian soil below him. Droma launched a massive orbital bombardment of Amazonia, targeting government buildings, police headquarters, military barracks, and anything else of value in particular. The Amazonians were hit badly, many cowed, when the revolutionaries hit the cityscape on the ground. The ground campaign was bloody for both sides, Droma hitting military and civilian targets to eliminate his opposition, but his victory was inevitable. After a strenuous ground campaign that drove on for 6 months, Droma finally emerged from Amazonian victorious. The Federation was over.
Quickly fighting up from the end of conflict, Droma began a government of total autocracy, with him as the sole dictator. Dubbed the "Imperial Dominion of Amazonian Beasts", the Dominion was the strong, new substance to replace the Federation, and Droma was no people-oriented president. He obeyed his own agenda, casting all the unmodified minority, who had been treated like special citizens under the Federation, into slavery, along with all those who had been imprisoned into the labor camps during the war. The government was intolerant of free speech, shutting down shaky organizations and imprisoning feisty individuals. A reign of absolute power from the top came down on the Dominion, based from the rebuilt Amazonia.
Now, 24 years after the Dominion came to, it is 3347 AF. Droma is still sole ruler of the Dominion, but his time is drawing nearer and nearer to a close, and he knows it. The Dominion has come to many more advancements than the Federation, the BioWar program of creating an artificial fighting species well under way. The citizens of the Dominion, though not enjoying the Federation's freedoms, are much safer and have many more advancements and ease of life, encouraging a high rate of happiness amongst citizens. Under Droma's hand now are five suitors to the throne: five force-strong individuals all sharing Droma's lust for evil and all imerssed in power. All five have the potential to replace and surpass Droma, in position, power, and the eye of the people, with spiraling potential. But they will have to make it past each other first.
The Shroud still envelops the Dominion, which ended colonization efforts at the massive ionic cloud that seems impassible. The area of space is becoming increasingly full as more and more humans continue to be produced in the Dominion. More space will eventually be needed to be found and taken to support the Dominion's burdening population. However, contact with the outside world is not out of the question, as the Dominion at any given time has many reconnaisance naval groups out of the Shroud, collecting information, technology, and plunder from what may come outside of the Shroud, in the heavens that abound.
Population:
The Dominion's chief race is human, however, genetics is a prevalent field throughout the empire. Through genetic manipulation throughout the history of the Amazonians, modifications to the human genome have brought around the rise of an advanced human as the main inhabitant of the Dominion. Generally standing at heights from 6'6" for females to 7'2" for males, these humans are generally heavily muscled and highly intelligent, with an intelligent quotient around 130 average. Some unmodified humans do remain, however, they are generally enslaved into either governmental tasks or private use.
A vast array of cybernetics and robotics has given rise to droids as heavy laborers and doers of various other tasks. Lower-class citizens generally have at least one droid to assist them. Droids also serve a large portion of the vast military that patrols the Dominion, from Droid infantry and individual soldiers to large droid gunboats and tanks. Droids do not serve any central control; rather, they each have individual core conscious that is programmed into absolute loyalty and the ability to think creatively. In a way, the droids are almost better than organics.
Culture and Language:
The Dominion uses the galactic standard, Basic, that many other galactic nations also utilize for ease of communication. The original Amazonian was lost eons ago, shrouded in the mists of time. Possibly historians still hold the ancient language, but it is no longer of use. The unmodified human population uses a variant on Basic to communicate among themselves; this language is prohibited in public due to the inferiority of the unmodified race.
The Dominion has lost many of the traditions that the old Federation used, more in a way to distinguish themselves as unique.
The military has become the focal point of pride for the Dominion. Programs such as public health, education, and, forbid, the environment, have all been relegated the back seat by the rise of policing and military juntas that serve under the Emperor. Young girls and boys, indenfied at age 10 for showing strength or intelligence, are taken from homes to enter training for military life. Thus, the family unit has also severely declined, though having a child selected for military duty is a source of utmost civic pride amongst the Dominion civilians (who are also compensated hansomely for their child-rearing).
Public health is less of an issue due to the enhanced cybernetics and genetics programs and modifications initiated by Dominion scientists. It is worth to be noted, however, that nearly all the medical innovations now taken for granted in the Dominion have roots in the military, whether from the initial revolt against the Alliance to the recent bio-ship program against the Federation. Private enterprise hospitals exist for the treatment of disease or defects, and lesser divisions in the hospital treat the inferior unmodified humans for their diseases. The Unmodifieds frequent health centers much more often, lacking the genetic immuno-defense systems or bio-repair units of the Master Race.
Economics:
The economy forms the backbone that churns out the military machine of the Dominion. Most economic ventures are focused on shipbuilding, armorworks, or military supplies. Droid foundries are another large source of economics, along with computer and artificial intelligence units and bio-engineering. Various companies on all levels of military engineering are allowed to exist and compete, trying to attract the best deals and best offers to the government for contracts. Several companies, including the major FrontLine Armor Works, have all tried to expand corporate boundries beyond the Dominion, but success has been very limited, and goals are much easier found inside the Dominion's borders.
Mining and resource gathering has become a very lucrative profit sector. Gas Giants, found to contain abundant gases for use in engine primary sequencers and firing chambers on capital and infantry energy weapons. Massive aerial platforms are established in the atmospheres of gas planets to collect, refine, and contain the highly proficient gases. Mining strips on asteroids, comets, or atmosphere-less worlds have also found abundance in the Dominion. The mining complexes work Unmodifieds to near-death levels to collect precious and utilitarian metals for various purposes. These mines are some of the highest profit gatherers among industries, the metals gathered and refined by the mines constantly needed for production in shipbuilding and armor construction.