Entry into Space
Little is known about Humanities first steps into space: even less is known about the time before. We know for certain that the Data-Cruisers leaving Earth all perished, and with them the records of older history. But the discord in the surrounding years ensured the loss of any other information regarding those times – and so our entry into the depths remains a mystery.
It is conjectured that the Great Departure occurred at some point in the 23rd century (E.C.), and that it was not until the 30th that relative calm was restored, for a short while. The centuries between that were marked by the colonisation of a large area of space, the Sapiadae sector: to use its name as it is in the common dialect of Interconnected space. This colonisation was fractured – in fact, it was a frantic rush for resources. At the time, the Ruling Powers remained close to each other, and several wars broke out in the making of borders and claiming of systems.
Interestingly, wars of this sort have never happened again. The great battles that ensued after the 30th century were generally between only two Powers (and never between any of the Great, due to the rise of the Navy), and fought with devastating technologies rather than soldiers themselves. For this reason, it is easy (even if you are not a historical scholar) to identify the period in which a battle was thought, for more recent clashes have always been given the title of ‘Skirmishes’.
In the colonisation of new solar-systems ‘planetisation’ played a major role, for the Powers were keen for new cities and homes on terra-firma. The construction and habitation of these lasted for only a little time, two Earth-centuries at the most. Not only were the costs of terraforming too great for continued planetisation, the cost of transport (in and out of orbit particularly) was too great to be viable. Modern historians, as is their wont, consider it a foolish endeavour to begin with.
Eventually the problems were realised. The end of the First Grace was signified by a second mass Departure from planetary cities, generally into space habitats. Very few Powers remained planet-side, and in latter days this was symbolic of great riches. It is worth noting that at the time the Powers were still very much antagonistic to each other, and so each was desperate to gain a foothold in space-habitation first. This led to several catastrophes; minor skirmishes broke out between fleeing ships; a failure in safety check-ups led to the rupture of the colony ship Varetia; and an incomprehensibly large number of people were abandoned on planets. These were primarily the working class – some were saved in later times, but more were ignored completely. The capitalist state of mind at the time was unconcerned by this negligence of Human rights: it wasn’t until the debates of the Schism that this occurrence was brought up again. But that is another story.
The re-entry into space-habitats led to large economic booms, although the communities that developed were not the nomadic and free people the past had imagined. The majority of people lived out their lives on mining platforms or in asteroidal or lunar cities. The inequalities only grow with time, although certain habitats grew in size to be akin to planets themselves. Space-habitats had saved civilisations large costs – but transport, particularly any between solar systems, was still too costly to be feasible for those lacking money or friends in high places.
From that point skirmishes became more common, and the estrangement of the Powers accelerated. Large swathes of space were left as borders between opposing factions, and it wasn’t until the foundation of Interconnected Space and the Navy that the Dark Ages ended. That, at least, we have more knowledge about it.
Communication
The Dark Ages are generally attributed to the unfriendly Powers. This is incorrect: it was largely due to shortcomings in technology. Even the mightiest ships struggled to travel between systems in less than two Earth-months: communications via laser and more advanced technology took even longer, as any uses of gravitational assistance caused data loss.
For this reason, most Powers were confined to only a few systems, and any correspondence with others was out of the question. A few Powers realised this, and in a feat of collaboration thought impossible they united the Great Powers, and ended the Dark Ages: but before we consider that, we must take a further look at certain ideas to prevent you from labouring under any misapprehensions.
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The Powers
The idea of believing the Powers we discuss to be governments is discouraged. They are, perhaps, empires: for the systems they control are managed by their own offices, and the habitats and planets within them also have their own representatives. It is a complex business. The minor Power of Anchores, for example, controls only two planets and three habitats, in one system – yet they have 50 separate governments across those, in order to manage their populations. All the same, the denizens have similar beliefs, and all the subsidiaries of the Power are under the overarching rule of its Council.
After the First Grace there emerged 15 Great or Ruling Powers, and 13 of those survived the turmoil of all the days that followed. It is of little importance to discuss these here, but worth noting their existence nonetheless.
Measurements of Time
You may have noted my usage of certain terms like days, centuries, and the like. These pose a problem to all people, because a year on one planet is a day on another. It’s common practice to specify the location a time-period is based from, such as E.C., meaning Earth-centuries: Earth-based units of time have actually prevailed in a large number of regions, but they are still not completely common. If the location isn’t specified, the statement is either being used for effect (i.e. many years ago), or in relation to the writer’s location.
Quite a few of the planets that survived the second Departure have similar orbits to Earth itself, which does help matters. Others, and space-habitats, may use their own arbitrary periods of time. It is impossible to explain the nuances behind all the measurements that now exist. As a rule of thumb, communications between space-separated locations refer to generations in an attempt at consistency; that was one of the changes put forth in the second treaty of Interconnected Space.
The Foundation of Interconnected Space and the Navy
Beret, Korvent and Eventíre were the Powers that put an end to the Dark Ages. Representatives from each met on the planet Kaster, in an attempt to open communications. Friends they were not – and betrayal was feared on every side. But they were united by a common fear – that some other Power, hidden by the gulf of space, would mount a crusade and put an end to all their civilisations.
The only possible prevention for this was for the communications hurdle to be overcome. If the Powers could converse more readily, and have knowledge of the happenings in other regions, any threats would be diminished greatly. It was proposed by the ambassador of Korvent that if gravitational engines were placed strategically, and physical methods of communication used (written letters being the main idea), these could be accelerated to speeds large enough to connect the Powers’ systems: the greatest delay in communication would be an estimated three months, between the two most distant Powers.
This suggestion was well-received, but the idea had to be enacted – and still, the Powers didn’t trust each other to put it into place. Their fears were not ill-founded, but the deeds of Feren and Begofe after the Great Betrayal are not for these pages. The Connexions went ahead, and it was done in the name of the Allied Navy.
The idea was this: the power would be put in the hands of an organisation headed by three ambassadors from each Power. Any decisions would have to be made unanimously, and without the input of anyone from outside the organisation. As more connexions were made, more Powers would send representatives to join the Navy. If they declined, they risked facing the wrath of all the combined Powers if they tried to wage war.
At the time, only five hundred gravitational engines remained that would be of use to the project – the art of supreme gravitational manipulation had been lost, and more modern engines lacked the power needed. It was decided that four hundred of these would be used, to link the Ruling Powers and certain environs. The others would be used in the creation of new battle and transport ships, which would form the Navy’s fleet.
Five hundred rotations of Kaster after that first meeting, a letter crossed the void. Not only was this making history, it was a feat of logistics never seen before – the letter could not, for example, be allowed to pass through a planet or star, and so it was passed between two hundred separate engines and their respective ‘post-offices’. Within only two Earth months of setting out, the letter was opened an incomprehensibly large distance from its starting point. It read (in slowly fading terms, and securing the friendship of all those involved): ‘I don’t suppose you have any spare ink?’.
So ended one of the greatest undertakings in Human history. The Navy had successfully interlinked the Ruling Powers, and united them under the title of Interconnected Space.
The Navy was a household name by the end of that endeavour, but their true strength was in their firepower. A great deal of Skirmishes were averted or halted by their efforts: the ships from the old gravitational engines were formidable battle machines, and a single one of them could take on an opposing fleet. For this reason, the Captains and crew of those ships became known as the most trustworthy people to exist, for the vetting process is incredibly tortuous to go through.
A last point: the Navy is often called a Power. It is not. The only locations under its true jurisdiction are Kastor and Earth, though its ships roam throughout Interconnected Space and into the Far Reaches. Representatives play a part in all major decisions throughout the former – which is why an Adjudicator was expected at Verrent Station, when this tale begins.