HISTORY OF THE ANNIKARIN EMPIRE
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"The universe is not a forgiving mistress. She is
not nurturing; she does not love; she feels no
compassion. She simply is. If you wish to
survive, you must match her cold-hearted
indifference with cold-hearted pragmatism."
-- Grand General Khoiyann Cenipragh (circa ME +237)
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INTRODUCTION
For hundreds of centuries, the people of Annikar had called the great, bright star in their north sky Villioun, the legendary God of Light. Ancient stories and legends told the story of how Villioun discovered the secret of life, and how the Elder Gods had stolen it from him. Villioun vowed that, one day, he would steal his secret back from them, and take all life with it.
When the Annikar advanced passed those early days of superstition and mysticism, the legends of their Gods and such fell out of favor. Other religions came and went until six hundred years ago, with no mysticism at all, and a unity forged from no less than six global conflicts, the Annikar had managed to become one government, one people. This would be the truth for about three hundred years.
That was when the first Annikar broke a barrier of velocity that, until that day, none thought was possible. Having transcended light speed, Goprikt Sinuode launched a new age of discovery and exploration. Prior to this day, the Annikar has managed to explore and colonize the various terrestrial bodies of their own solar system. In the modern calendar, this event marked the transition of the old era and the Modern Era (ME) -- this was year ME +000.
Twenty-five years prior to Goprikt's historic flight (ME -025), the Annikarin Government had all but shut down the research and development segment of the United Space Flight Division. But that policy would be reversed quickly. With the wall that was the Light-Speed Barrier shattered, the Annikar would begin a one hundred year period of technological advancement that they have yet to surpass.
This technological boom, coupled with the first alien civilization that they would encounter (the Shimirri in ME +037), proved to be more problematic than any of the global conflicts that had once threatened their very existence.
FIRST CONTACT
For 35 years the Annikarin had launched exploration craft to various nearby stars. With each ship arriving and surveying the system -- looking for signs of life and exploitable natural resources -- their would follow a period of sending the information back to Annikar to let the central government know if it was safe to send colonists. Communication was limited to the speed of ships. That was when one of the exploration craft encountered something interesting.
The craft Veliton ("Prowler-cat") detected an anomaly on the way to the star cataloged as FE.326.012.017; once the survey of the system was complete, the ship returned to the point where the anomaly had taken place. The anomaly could not be located.
One year later a second craft was sent to the location of the anomaly with the mission of locating and identifying it. The Council on
Interstellar Affairs felt that the evidence that the anomaly was not a malfunction was overwhelming, and so -- in the interest of safety
to the various crews of future ships -- the identification of the event became a priority. The craft Edibruul ("Hunting-dog") was stationed at the point in space where the anomaly was detected. After six months, a trail of sub-space particles was detected (a signature of ion-powered sub-light drive systems) and followed until they were able to find a sleeper-ship populated with alien life forms. The ship was towed back to Annikar. Then, a few days {1} after the start of ME +037, the sleeper-containers began the awakening process and the first contact took place.
The first major hurdle was language. The Annikarin people spoke approximately seventy separate languages and dialects, so the process
for handling language issues was somewhat formalized. Process on breaking down and learning language traits occurred faster than the
Annikarin people had first hoped. Mapping of the two languages was complete by ME +044.
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{1} These days would be Annikarin Local Days (approximately 28 Galactic Standard Hours).
A SINGLE SPARK
The relationship between the Shimirri and the Annikarin people was productive. Diplomats, scientists, and businessmen would begin rubbing elbows in the late 40s. The first formal trade agreements between the two cultures were signed in ME +054 (this allowed for the exchange of Hyperdrives from Annikar for FTL Communications Systems from Shimirri.
The Annikar, however, would begin to rethink the validity of their decision in ME +061. Although certain elements of technology were off-limits, and the Shimirri people were most certainly not asking about things that they had been told from the start were taboo, the Shimirri people appeared to be learning about the Annikar far faster than the Annikar were learning about them.
Ferinoch Codu, the President and CEO of Biryon-Codu Energy Systems, made a formal request in ME +068 that charges of Industrial Espionage be levied against the Shimirri. The Regional Courts, followed quickly by the National Courts and the Supreme Court rejected this notion. This caused a storm within the political circles of Annikar. The evidence that something was not quite right was circumstantial -- but
quite convincing to many powerful people of business.
Highly angered, Ferinoch Codu launched a campaign to remove no less than twenty judges from their posts. His campaign appeared to be
failing until ME +073, when the Shimirri announced that the current trade agreements were no longer sufficient, given that they had just
completed their first factories capable of producing Hyperdrives. Given that the manufacture of Hyperdrives required many technological
advancements that are not able to be deduced from having a hyperdrive, several corporations in Annikarin space came to the conclusion that Ferinoch Codu was right. This would spark an internal conflict in Annikarin space that would result in the death of the Republic.
THE FIRST ANNIKARIN CIVIL WAR (ME +074 to +086)
Although man historians will point out that Annikar has experienced many civil wars in its time, this was the first civil war since the introduction of the Hyperdrive; in other words, this was the first civil war in the Modern Era. Based on that, this was is sometimes called the First Modern Annikarin Civil War; however, given that this implies that previous civil wars were Pre-Modern, they were dubbed as such, leaving the need to call the modern civil war "modern" redundant. Ergo, today it is simply called the First Annikarin Civil War.
In ME +074, Dhulak Erimon, President and CEO of Annikarin Kinetic Concepts, declared that if the legitimate business interests of the
Annikarin People were not being protected by the Republican Government, then it was time for the Republican Government to be replaced with something that would. This would lead to his immediate -- and very public -- arrest (something few deny was planned from the start). As Mr. Erimon was being transferred to his holding cell, a fire-fight broke out in the streets between various elements of the armed forces: some we supporting the state, while others were supporting the efforts of Mr. Erimon.
Investigations into the incident showed some evidence that many of the military members had been offered jobs with better pay and benefits within the security department of AnKC, although this was never proven. No arrests for such behavior were made, since nothing
on camera caught who started the firefight, and so both sides had a strong argument of self-preservation. Still, this opened up the door
to corporate controlled armies; with that corporate controlled navies, marine forces, and so on.
The Civil War waged on from ME +074 to +086. Although it was in the summer of ME +086 that the cease-fire was signed, from the point of view of the Annikarin Republic it was over seven years earlier, in ME +079. By that time, very few members of the military had any allegiance to the Republic at all, but were employed directly by the various corporations. Infighting between the corporate interested propelled the war into its second stage which would flare up sporadically during the last four or five years.
Lip service was paid to the Republic until ME +088. At this point, although it was time for re-elections, none were held. The various Boards of Directors were in control over the territories they had carved out over the previous decade or so. The only world that had interests from multiple Annikarin Corporations was Annikar.
In order to ensure that Annikar not bear the brunt of future conflicts (which all of the corporations agreed would be bad for business), the Central Assembly was formed in ME +093. This group, acting as a Board of Directors over the various corporate Boards of Directors, was given an office within the confines of the old Capital. The initial body would consist of 22 members -- one each from each of the 22 largest corporations in Annikar. This would eventually grow as the needs of the newly formed Empire would outstrip the time and resources of just a couple of dozen men.
The first order of business, or so it would seem, was deciding how to neutralize the threat of the Shimirri.
THE ANI-SHIM WAR (ME +101 to +132)
With the heads of the major corporations agreeing that a collective as unified as the Shimirri were a major threat to security, the invasion of Shimirri space began. Early estimates were that within six months, the Shimirri would be wiped out or under Annikarin rule. This proved to be a disastrous miscalculation.
Even as the six month estimate faded into memory, things were going well for the commanders of the Annikarin forces. From ME +101 to ME +104, the battles were very one sided. The Annikarinn victory celebrations were being planned. As the war appeared to be winding down, the Shimirri people began to be treated with contempt. It was not enough to defeat them, the Annikarin felt a need to humiliate
them. And so they did.
In space, the Annikarin ships were superior -- but not so much so as to be definitive. Battles were hard fought and costly. On the ground,
technology wielded by the Annikarin was vastly superior, still, the Shimirri seemed to have instinctual knowledge of the battlefield. Events that took place miles away were almost instantly known by additional forces who could then change their plans. And in ME +105, the tide of battle shifted. The Shimirri became much more determined to defeat the enemy that lay before them. And the Annikarin began to point fingers as to the blame for these setbacks.
In ME +107, the Annikarin suffered their first major loss in the war: the Battle of Ghellion's Belt. This would be one of the worst losses Annikar would suffer -- a complete loss of 26 ships; no survivors. Over the next six years, the ratio of wins to losses in battles worsened, but remained positive for the Annikarin. That was when the Shimirri started introducing a new tactic into the mix: swarms of fighters.
The outlook for the war became more bleak. The fighting cooled off. The Shimirri, despite the torture and humiliation of the years ME +104 to ME +113, seemed content to maintain the status quo. And so, with the exception of sporatic fighting along the border worlds, the war stopped unofficially. With little fanfare, an official cease-fire was signed in ME +132.
THE FORMATION OF THE DVORINTH CONFEDERACY
{blah blah blah} -- still being written
THE MEGA-CORPORATIONS
Modern Annikarin society is governed by the executives and the various Boards of Directors that rule the six primary Mega-Corporations (MC). Although some smaller corporations exist that are not owned by the MCs, these are mostly organizations that they keep around to act as independent agents so as to distance themselves from certain 'nefarious' activities for the purpose of plausible deniability.
The six MCs are: Automated Counter-Intelligence Solutions (ACIS), Annikarin Kinetic Concepts (AnKC), Biryon-Codu Energy Systems (BCES), Integrated AeroSpace Flight (IASF), Variable Quantitative Analysis Methods (VQAM), and Zero-Point Industries (ZpIn).
THE CENTRAL ASSEMBLY
With a need to protect Annikarin Space from foreign invaders came the need to centralize some aspects of the political bureaucracy. After all, if laws were going to change from zone to zone, based on which corporation was in charge, how would the nuances of law operate to maintain a coherent whole? Besides, if anything were bad for business, it is uncertainty. And so the six Boards of Directors formed the Central Assembly.
The Central Assembly is an over-arcing body that acts as a High Judiciary, Supreme Legislative House, and an Executive Steering Committee. The body is comprised of 300 members (50 from each of the Mega-Corporations). These members are assigned by the Boards of Directors, with each Mega-Corporation having a different method (AnKC Assemblymen are elected by the Board of Directors; ZpIn Assemblymen
are elected by all of the stock-holders). One thing is common, however: all are appointed for life.
Within the Central Assembly are various committees. Each committee will have an equal number of members from each Corporation. Some of the more important committees are:
* Commerce Committee: This 6-person body is the final arbiter of all issues resulting from a dispute in trade. This body will often rule on cases involving anti-trust, monopolistic practices, and even irregularities in book-keeping. The requirements for this committee include the liquidations of all assets -- this is to ensure that no appearance of a conflict of interest crops up. In other words: no member of this committee is allowed to hold stock in any corporation or private enterprise.
* High Justice Committee: This 18-person body acts as the highest court in the Empire. Generally speaking, this body will hear legal cases at a rate of 30 per standard year. This is possible as the committee will tend to split into three groups of six (one from each of the Mega-Corporations) and each sub-committee will hear a different case. Decisions handed down by this body are final, and binding in all of the Mega-Corporations. The requirements to get on this committee include a higher education in law, and the approval of at least one member of the committee from each of the other five Mega-Corporations.
* Supreme Military Commanders Committee: This 18-person body acts as the central military authority of the whole of the Empire. All military decisions are made by, or filtered though, this group. In time of active war, the body will select a "High Commander" who will become the central Executive for all military affairs. The requirements to get on this committee include at least 15 years of military service, and a commission.
MODERN NAVAL CONTRACTS
The Annikarin Laws governing how naval contracts are assigned are amazingly complex. The laws ensure that no single Mega-Corporation
can dominate, while providing for a diverse and capable fighting force to defend the sovereignty of Annikarin Space. To this end, each
ship is built by three of the MCs.
Each of the three corporations is assigned a particular element of the ship's design: Hull, Shields, and Weapons. The law states that whichever corporations is tasked with the construction of the Hull cannot be involved in the construction of the Shields or the Weapons; likewise, the corporation constructing the Shields cannot be involved in the construction of the Hull or the Weapons; and the corporation
constructing the Weapons cannot be involved in the construction of the Hull or Shields. Note that the construction of the hull includes the Engines, and Hyperdrives (Auxiliary systems are handled differently). Additionally, all of the contracts are for a number of ships that is divisible by three, as all three corporations involved must receive an equal number of ships.
ACIS corporation builds hulls. The corporation started out as a counter-intelligence systems company, and eventually moved into electronic survelance. The introduction of the Mk.III Countermeasure systems allow ships they are involved in to protect themselves from enemy fire. Circa ME +205, the Smallcraft Proliferations Act placed them in alliance with the BCES and VQAM corporations in the development of the Darkwing Fighter.
AnKC corporation builds shielding systems. As a company that (at one time) was partnered with IASF to work on weapons systems, they have a keen understanding of the methods that Pulse weapons use to inflict damage. They field Shadow-class fighters.
BCES corporation builds weapon systems; specifically, the Axion-Particle acceleration-based weapons. These weapons fire super-charged axionic matter (also known as dark-matter) at ships ripping them apart with molecular-bonding reactions. These are Energy weapons. They field Darkwing-class fighters (and supply the weapons for their construction).
IASF corporation builds weapon systems; specifically, the particle Pulse based weapons. These weapons are laser guided particle acceleration systems that deal damage through brute force. These are Kinetic weapons. They field Shadow-class fighters.
VQAM corporation builds shielding systems. Much like the partnership that once existed between AnKC and IASF, VQAM once partnered with BCES in studying energy-based damage to ships. As a result, the VQAM shielding systems are best at dealing with energy-based threats. They field Darkwing-class fighters.
ZpIn corporation builds hulls. The corporation started out as a weapon design company many centuries ago. However, they found that their true calling was not in weapons but in electronic guidance systems -- the Fire Control systems on Annikarin ships (note: not powerful enough to grant teh bonuses of the game system's Fire Control System) are built by them. Circa ME +205, the Smallcraft Proliferations Act placed them in alliance with the AnKC and IASF corporations in the development of the Shadow Fighter.
There are two interesting exceptions to this law: the Nest-class Carrier, and the Talon-class Battleship. During the Ani-Dvorn Wars (circa ME +215 to ME +266), the need for a larger craft with a more robust array of capabilities was born. The heads of the Mega-Corporations asked for, and were granted by the Central Assembly, the go-ahead to design and deploy two larger craft using all of the systems of all of the corporations. The Nest-class Carrier (the only true carrier in the Annikarin naval arsenal) was designed first, followed by the Talon-class Battleship. These ships were used near the end of the war, and then retired. Only six of each of these craft remain (all on inactive duty): one owned by each of the six MCs. Current law holds that none of these vessels can be placed on active duty without the Central Assembly's authority -- and only then if the whole of the Annikarin Empire is threatened from the outside.</t>
