Every pilot in the Galaxy has, at one time or another during their travels, passed through systems without knowing that they were full of stories. This adventure suggests that we look at systems not simply as places we pass through or as destinations for a mission, but that we spend a little time discovering their past.
This adventure is brought to you by your ED Trip agency. Find out more with this article. Enjoy your flight CMDR!
Our agency has selected a few emblematic systems for you. You don't need a permit to get there, nor special ships. These systems have unique stories rarely linked to our other adventures, but we felt it was important to bring them to you.
You'll discover the remains of forgotten battles, the wreckage of a famous and very old ship, a station that sells all its ships and modules (but it's not Shinrarta!), etc.
Are you ready, Commander? Let's go!
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Lugh
Let's take a first step into the Lugh system which, in March 3301, almost fell under the yoke of the Federation, but resisted to declare its independence.
The Lugh War is gradually falling into oblivion, yet it was a war of great intensity, claiming millions of lives and seeing the mobilization of many pilots siding with the Federation or with their opponents, the Crimson State Group faction. Jasmina Halsey, then President of the Federation, declared war on March 13, 3301 (see news) in an attempt to annex this system. It is mobilizing huge resources, including a Farragut capital ship still under construction: the FNS Nevermore (see news). This vessel is not fully ready for the offensive, however, and is giving manufacturer Core Dynamics (see news) a hard time.
The war was a violent one between the two sides (the Alliance having decided not to intervene, see news) and no less than 5 community objectives were set up for this conflict: destruction of opposing ships, destruction of convoys supposedly harboring resistance leader Éamonn Uí Laoghire (resulting in nearly 10,000 deaths), setting up supply and refueling lines, sabotage, etc.
It was the pilots, most of whom had only just obtained their license, who decided the outcome of the war. The latter were fairly inexperienced and were quickly swept away by the violence of the fighting (yours truly lost countless Cobras to other players at this point....)
Lugh was one of the first 10 community objectives proposed to pilots, and they didn't immediately understand the various consequences of the actions, which were all linked together). What's more, the ships were poorly equipped, the engineers hadn't yet opened their bases, and the pilots flying for the Federation thought they'd won too quickly). It was therefore a rather unexpected outcome: the Federation lost the war despite having almost won (see news).
Indeed, the turning point came on March 16 when the Federation attacked the Read Gateway outpost, whose remarkable defense was led by Cormac Uí Laoghire ensuring a first major success for the Crimson State Group faction (read news).
On March 26 a temporary peace is signed (read news), but it remains fragile. In the end, the Federation is defeated and Lugh remains independent.
President Halsey, elected in 3300, was politically very weakened by this conflict, which largely favored her opponent Zachary Hudson. After the onion-head affair and this war, Halsey decided to leave on an official visit to the bordering federal systems, but her ship, the Starship One, disappeared in June 3301, leaving the way clear for Hudson to regain his post... but that's another story.
You have four beacons to scan in this system, installed at the request of pilots who took part in this terrible war.
The Battle of Lugh
Tourist destination 0056
The Battle of Lugh. Come and admire the great star of the Lugh system, steeped in legend and reputedly worshipped by superstitious system inhabitants as the solar deity Lugh Lâmhfhada!
In Memory
This beacon can be found on the surface of the planet Lugh 4 (warning, gravity of 1.7 G, don't be surprised).
Tourist destination 0057
Come and honor the notorious Lugh 4, where countless pilots from both sides of the conflict lost their lives. Crimson State freedom fighters sold their skins dearly to enable their comrades to mount an effective defense against the federal invaders.
Last Defence
Tourist destination 58
The revered port of Seega. At once a working port, a place of pilgrimage for the martyrs of Seega, and a site of great sacrifice for freedom. Thousands fought and died here in a last-ditch attempt to buy time and distract Federal forces from the Crimson State commandos' counter-attack on Hartsfield Market. Ordered to hold out as long as possible, the defenders dug in, hoping
to exhaust the attackers' reserves. The defenders were slaughtered, but not before completing their mission, exhausting the Federation's fighting capacity in the system. The Federation had committed far too many of its ground weapons and munitions, leaving them vulnerable afterwards.
Lugh Victory
Lugh Victory
Orbiting the earth-like planet Tir Na Lugh
Tourist destination 59
Hartsfield Market is where the Lugh War was won. Inciting the population aboard the station to rebel, the forces led by Cormac Uí Laoghire secured the station and organized admirable defences, successfully repelling the Federal boarding parties. Once the satellite's defence system was secured, the Federal fleet was forced to leave the system.
Let's continue our journey to Tau Ceti.
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Tau Ceti
You've just arrived at Tau Ceti and the journey may have seemed... normal? One hop, two, maybe more and you've arrived at your destination. Nothing out of the ordinary, and you think you're in a mundane system.... Yet...
Do you realize that what you've just done would have been a technological feat unthinkable a few centuries ago? You're not just anywhere, just know it.
The system you've just arrived in is historic, as it's the first to have been colonized since Sol! It took decades of research and numerous failures to enable mankind to leave its cradle and enter the galaxy. In the 22nd century, Li Qin Jao invented the hyperspace reactor, which changed everything: the doors to colonization had just opened (we'll probably talk about world ships again one day.... but that's another story...).
Tau Ceti was an ideal target and therefore the first destination for a colony. But things were not so simple, the challenges complex and soon tensions began to arise in Sol and Tau Ceti, a system governed by a certain ... John Taylor.
The stakes of colonization (survival in an alien environment) soon came into conflict with the Federation's ecological laws, and the destruction of species endemic to Tau Ceti by the colonists led the two systems to clash. Eventually, an agreement was reached and Tau Ceti became an independent system under Federation trusteeship. After Tau Ceti, three other systems were colonized, making Sol, Tau Ceti, Delta Pavonis, Altair and Beta Hydri the systems now considered the five founders of the Federation.
We now invite you to scan the beacons of this system in the following order to discover more about the history of Tau Ceti.
1. Beginning of hyperspace
Tourist destination 0166
The 22nd century saw the formation of the first pioneering projects. The discovery of a workable theory of hyperspace and the design of the first "faster-than-light" reactor, slow to death. inefficient and unreliable (compared to what we have in 3300) opened up the possibility of exploration and colonization. A new world of engineering and science opened up, confirmed by the first detailed messages and system analyses received on Earth from an interstellar probe sent to the Tau Ceti system several years earlier. Companies began to race for the stars. Huge commercial colony projects were created, financed, built and launched, and hundreds of automatic probes were sent to all nearby systems.
2. First Interstellar Colony
Tourist destination 167
Tau Ceti was the first colony established outside the solar system. Previously determined to be viable, Tau Ceti 2 (now Taylor Colony) showed signs of life (absorption spectrometry detected oxygen in the atmosphere), which was confirmed by observation and probe data. By 2159, the colony was largely self-sufficient and able to elect a civil administrator.
3. Ecological Loss
The question of what to do in the event of an extraterrestrial encounter only really arose the day humans set foot on Tau Ceti 2. The first colony was forced to struggle to survive and adapt to a harsh environment. The preservation of native life forms was secondary, the priority being the protection of the colonists. Native life suffered and was completely overwhelmed by the fierce imported life forms from Earth (intentionally (pets, crops) and accidentally (diseases etc.). Although the situation was improving, this sense of struggle for survival did not abate, and the settlers, led by John Taylor, saw the environment as something to be mastered. With the launch of automated farming systems, hunting, which had been a necessity, became a trade. Taylor was elected civil administrator in 2161, and wasted no time in encouraging the colony to become completely independent of Earth. In response, and at the behest of the corporations financing the mission, Earth sent a delegation to Tau Ceti 3 to examine its practises. They witnessed the general active destruction of the planet's entire endemic ecosystem. The Authority for Ecological Control then issued instructions on environmental conservation and recommended that a second mission be sent within twelve months to assess the improvements achieved. When this mission arrived in 2163 and discovered that the situation had worsened, trade sanctions were recommended and imposed. This further strengthened Taylor's control, and in 2165 he proposed a referendum on Independence, narrowly defeated in the colonial forum.
4. Alien Transgressions
Tourist destination 0173
Further ecological transgressions by Tau Ceti colonists were discovered in 2228, when a secretly produced documentary arrived on Earth. It showed Tau Ceti colonists flouting Earth's decrees and directives on a number of points, especially endemic ecological preservation and the exploitation of natural resources. Concerned about the failures on Mars and the continuing incendiary role played by John Taylor, now in his eighties, Earth sent an expeditionary force to the system to revoke its colonial charter.
5. Federal Accord
In early 2240, just hours before the arrival of the Earth fleet on Tau Ceti, the main colony changed its name to Taylor Colony and voted for independence. Without spaceships to fight on, the colonists targeted the Earth fleet's troop transports as they attempted to land. Neither side was able to gain the upper hand, and they decided to resume diplomatic relations. Despite some bitterness on both sides, an agreement was reached in 2242. The Federal Accord had just been declared. It was an extension of the Federation constitution, which briefly changed its name to the "Federation of Star Systems", but the term "Federation" took over again. The Federal Agreement granted independent rights and membership to each signatory system, subject to the fulfillment of certain development objectives. At first, none of the signatories (including Earth) met the objectives, the central principle of the agreement reached at Tau Ceti being to eliminate the political games of the previous century.
Another tourist beacon, not covering this period, is present. Feel free to also scan "Governor Santorini's Assassination". Finally, if you'd like to know more about the founding of the Federation, we recommend reading this article.
In 3098, Governor Santorini of Tau Ceti was assassinated. The federal press accused the Empire, pointing to several quotes from Proximire Santorini that could have made him an imperial target. Strangely, the Emperor decided to personally refute the accusation, but three years later, Imperial colonists escorted by Imperial warships settled on Emeraid. In response, the Federation sent Admiral O'Brien with a heavily armed battle group, who also dropped a military force on the planet. For the next thirty years, the two sides battled for control of the planet and the system.
Let's continue our journey to Luyten 205-128.
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Luyten 205-128
In the previous section, we talked about the first journeys to leave Sol and expand humanity into the galaxy. The search for hyperspace jump engines has been marked by numerous failures and accidents, with the Luyten 205-128 system bearing the scars.
Move towards the signal source located near the star "Highliner Antares Lost". Once there, you'll find a large pile of debris and a beacon to scan. You are now standing on the wreckage of the Antares.
The Antares was an experimental vessel testing a new type of FSD reactor manufactured by the Sirius Corporation, which made its maiden flight in 3251. The Antares departed from the Sirius system with guest passengers, celebrities, technicians, etc. on board, but never arrived at its destination. The ship disappeared without a trace.
50 years later, in December 3301, Sirius Corporation CEO Li Yong-Rui reopened the case and financed the search for the wreckage. Several community objectives were necessary to search for the wreckage and formally identify the ship's debris. The wreck was discovered in this system on January 13, 3302 (read news).
The debris collected has made it possible to identify the cause of the problem that led to the loss of the ship: a dramatic malfunction of the jump system that led to the destruction of the Antares and the death, now official, of all those on board
Before leaving this area, you can salvage some of the wreckage as a souvenir or for resale at the station (contact station salvage operations).
Following the discovery of the site of this tragic accident, Sirius commissioned artist Delvin Hoorgan to design a memorial on July 1, 3302.
You can go to the tourist beacon "Memorial to the Highliner Antares Unveiled" to find out more about this work (not visible). Read the news.
The Antares continues to kill...
Go to the last beacon in this system, "Sargasso Sea of Space", and scan it. The message retrieved is most enigmatic, as are the mysteries that continue to surround the Antares....
Although the cause of the accident has been formally identified, rumors were rife about possible sabotage, especially before the discovery of the wreck! Even now, a direct link is often made with the disappearance of Starship One, which we mentioned in the first stage of this adventure.
In 3302, the Empire defended itself against accusations (read news) and spoke of mysterious "suicides" of investigators or journalists working on the wreckage, and in this article mentioned the death of Elaine Boyd, who was investigating the death of the federal vice-president.
Indeed, even before the wreck was discovered, many mysterious deaths were linked to the Antares:
Nigel Smeaton, Jasmina Halsey's vice-president, was found dead in January 3301 following a "swimming accident" (read news). The heart attack is gradually ruled out by journalistic investigations and a link is made with the Antares. Smeaton, one of whose family members had disappeared aboard the ship, was investigating the case in a personal capacity. He reportedly obtained evidence that could implicate Core Dynamics ... which of course denied this in September 3301 (see news).
Links between the Antares, Starship One, Core Dynamics and even the Emperor's Dawn insurgency are well underway, as this article from March 3302 proves.
But the list of victims doesn't end there! In August 3301, a Sirius Corporation pod was destroyed on landing, claiming five lives. Once again, journalist Elaine Boyd investigated and discovered that one of the victims was Sean Richards. The latter had compiled an incident report on the Starship One and had, 50 years earlier, been part of the task force investigating the disappearance of the Antares.......!!
You who perhaps thought you'd find in this system a simple, ancient story.... find yourself with no doubt more questions than answers....
Highliner Antares Lost + debris
Tourist destination 0123
In 3251. the Antares. a passenger transport vessel with revolutionary technology, designed and built by the hyperspace jump. In 3301, Li Yong-Rui, CEO of the government division of the Sirius Corporation, launched a search for the vessel. Sirius Corporation confirmed the discovery of the vessel's remains in 3302.
Memorial to the Highliner Antares Unveiled
July 1, 3302. Sirius Corporation unveiled a memorial in honor of those who lost their lives aboard the Antares passenger transport, destroyed during its voyage in 3251. Using debris from the ship, artist Delvin Hoorgan created a striking work in memory of the victims.
The memorial represents a highly stylized version of the Antares. and was created using light-bending meta-materials, allowing light to pass through the vessel as it rotates. As the sculpture moves, the intensity of the light increases until it becomes almost unbearable, then decreases again.
Delvin Hoorgan drew a line under his usual commission to be able to take part in the project. When he unveiled the memorial, he said he felt extremely proud to have been called upon to commemorate this tragedy.
Sargasso Sea of Space
Tourist destination 0060
Commander J. Fisher recalls the Sargasso Sea of space, a Lagrange point full of ghost ships and wrecks, where the corpses of the lost gather. Just like the Bermuda Triangle on good old Earth, it seems that any ship daring to pass through it will never come out again.
Let's continue our journey to Olgrea.
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Olgrea
The next two stages of our adventure will present the birth of the Alliance and the Empire after evoking humanity's first colonization of Tau Ceti.
Olgrea is not the capital of the Alliance, which is Alioth (and requires a permit), but nevertheless remains a decisive system within the framework of the Alliance's foundation and its industrial importance (main agricultural world for the Alliance).
It's also a system where famous names resonate. Literature enthusiasts will find a station with an evocative name: H.G. Wells Terminal, which in August 3305 saw a very important festival requiring the setting up of a community goal (see news). But even more famous for Alliance citizens is that of Mic Turner.
Mic Turner is an exceptional pilot, a graduate of the Federation of Pilots and a passionate explorer. In 3224, he was commissioned to colonize the Olgrea system on behalf of the Federation, and then travelled to Alioth shortly before the rebellion that led to the founding of the Alliance.
In 3228, the Federation attempted to raise prices in the Alioth system, which quickly led to a major conflict. The Federation and the Empire tried to quell it by sending a large contingent of military forces. But to no avail. Mic Turner's piloting skills earned him a prominent and decisive role in the Alioth revolution. Many neighboring systems, including Olgrea, rose up against the two superpowers, forcing them to withdraw from Alioth in the face of the unpopularity of the war.
This was the opportunity Mic Turner, and his lifelong partner Meredith Argent, had been waiting for to propose an independent, united political alternative. In 3230 the Alliance of Independent Systems, or Alliance, was born and became the Galaxy's third superpower (see this full article on the origins of the Alliance).
In 3239 Mic Turner returned to Olgrea at the head of an Alliance force to capture this system and integrate it into the Alliance.
Tourist destination 0127
Mic Turner, intergalactic explorer, ship designer and founder of the Alliance, led the federal expedition that brought settlers to Olgrea in 3224.
Terraforming operations began almost immediately, as the Federation knew that population growth in the region would require more space.
In 3239. Alliance warships and Commander Turner returned to the system and, after a brief altercation with Federal forces, took control of Fortress Jung and New Casablanca. After that, it was only a matter of time before the rest of the system laid down its arms and the Federation withdrew.
By 3250, the Olgrea system had become an important part of the Alliance's infrastructure. The planet New Gotham became the agricultural production center for the entire Alliance sector. The system's population had grown to nearly 100 million, one of the fastest system migrations in interstellar history.
Let's go to Quince to continue our journey.
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Quince
Here you are in Quince. As you'd expect, this system isn't the capital of the Empire (or officially the Empire of Achenar)! The latter is located in Achenar, which requires a permit to enter (Squire rank) and is over 550 LY away!
You are, in fact, in what was one of the oldest and most distant systems colonized by the Empire. The system is no longer attached to the Empire, as it is now under the political responsibility of the independent faction "The Foundation". However, you will still find 3 factions with allegiance to the Empire.
The Empire was born when Marlin Duval, then leader of the expedition to colonize Achenar and found a republic. Marlin Duval was a wealthy federal citizen disappointed by the conformism and rigidity of the federal system. She decided to establish a new, independent, democratic government and settled in Achenar, where the colony flourished in 2292. The government was stable and democratic, with elected senators representing the people. But this political vision came to an end with her accidental death in 2296 (aboard her ship), when she lost her life along with her partner and children. With the line extinguished, her brother, Henson Duval, reclaimed power and transformed it into an empire. He dismissed the elected senators and became the first Emperor. Of course, rumors of a "deliberate accident" orchestrated by Henson against his sister have never ceased.
As for relations with the Federation, they are notoriously tense, even poisonous. However, a peace treaty between the two superpowers was signed in 2382 following a Federal invasion of the Achenar system in 2696.
But the spectre of Marlin has not died out, and it lives on. Perhaps you've heard of Marlinism, or the neo-Marlinist liberation army (ALNM) more recently in 3306? Now you know where the name comes from for these protesters committed to the ideals of Marlin Duval. But that's another story....
Find an article (untranslated) on the history of the Empire, to read here.
Empire Day is a public holiday celebrating Marlin Duval's first steps on Achernar 6D and is celebrated on January 2 (New Year's celebrations are combined with this anniversary date).
Before you leave, scan the tourist beacon concerning the 11th Emperor, Gaylen Traken Duval, and his diplomatic setbacks. The Quince system is mentioned. If you're interested in the history of this Emperor, you'll find other tourist beacons in Achenar and Cemiess.
Gaylen's Ascension
The ascension of Gaylen Trasken Duval was marked by chaotic celebrations in the Achenar and Quince systems. Now that there was a new Emperor on the throne, Imperial politics changed again. Gaylen proved far more touchy and hot-tempered than his predecessor. Hostilities on Alioth resumed in 2994, and in 2996 a Federation-backed coup in the Ackwada system triggered a violent crackdown by Imperial troops.
Quince Visitor Beacon
Double planets are often extremely interesting, so be sure to stop by before taking advantage of all that the habitable world of this system has to offer.
Let's go to Brestla to finish our trip.
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Brestla
We remain in the Empire to complete this adventure, but the history of this system is a little different from what we've seen previously. There's no politics, no intrigue, no war and no ship wrecks here. Simply go to i Solar Prospect and land on this planetary station;
Does everything seem normal to you? Yes, it does. Open the shipyard or the equipment room and you should find everything you need. Everything you need? Yes, everything like the famous Shinrarta Dezhra is available here (excluding special modules). But you don't have to be Elite to get a license here. Everything is freely available at a higher-than-usual price, due to supply costs (+20%).
The reason for this unprecedented level of traffic in the galaxy is linked to a community objective held in February 3302 and sponsored by the Imperial Inquisition faction. This faction regularly organizes competitions and battles, and therefore needs to provide an important supply and repair service. So the faction decided to call on the galaxy's pilots for a community objective starting on January 28.
The target is reached on February 5 (read news) and the yard opens its doors offering all ships and modules to pilots. However, on February 17, logistical issues force a sharp rise in prices (read news).
However, if you don't mind paying a bit more and haven't yet obtained a permit for Shinrarta Dezhra, here's a station to put in your notebook!
A new Pioneer Supplies store has recently opened on I SOLAR PROSPECT, where you'll find all the suits and weapons you need!
CONCLUSION
This adventure has taken you on a tour of important, history-bearing or emblematic places in the founding of the three great powers.
We've tried to create a link between these systems around the invention and advances in hyperspace jumps that enabled our galaxy to be colonized.
We hope you've enjoyed it and invite you to consult the many links provided in the articles. You will also find below a link to " the history of mankind " revealing many memories of the past.
