Remnants Of The Precursors Example

~ Life ~
At the beginning of the universe, there was the big bang. A bang that sent matter through the universe. This matter would spread and would eventually form atoms. It would form minerals. It would form the basis of life.
It would be millions of years into the galaxy’s creation that the point where organic life could begin to be created. It would require carbon, it would require oxygen, it would require complex molecules.
But eventually. Life was created.
The creature that would evolve into the Arzoih culture was a basic beast. Crawling out of the oceans and forming as a quadroped, the creature began to form its defining features. It lost its tail, its long ears shrunk as it began to evolve out of its prey evolution and steadily became the hunter.
The brain of the creature evolved too, through thousands of years of evolutions, lost chains of evolution and development that are not even more lost than the Arzoih culture itself.
Evolution.
Fire.
Hunter-Gatherers.
The small groups and communities of the Arzoih’s pre-civilisation began to come together. With fire they were able to cook food. With fire they were able to venture out into the night.
With fire they were able to make war.
The first Arzoih death to fire was long forgotten in the annals of history.
It was a long line of wars, deaths and the long rise of the the Arzoih Empire.
But the Arzoih’s culture was not always as warlike as their later life would be.
It had once been a peaceful nation, working in cooperations through the ags, although there were wars and there were battles, the Arzoih culture pushed through the Bronze age, the Steel Age and the Gunpowder age. Warfare still raged but together the smaller nations of the Arzoih came together against the worst of their race.
Firearms, trenches and artillery raged through the Industrial Revolution and smaller nations came together to form several unified unions. Peace eventually flowed back into the world.
The Age of the Atom came into the world through a grand world war, every nation on the world fought in a bloody war against each other.
Until the bomb was dropped.
The splitting of the atom brought the end of hostilities as every nation tried to match the new power.

~ Development ~
Space, the final frontier.
It was after a nuclear war that the Arzoih’s managed to reach into the void around the planet.
Rockets became satalites and satalites became shuttles and shuttles turned into space stations.
Reaching out into the darkest void, the Arzoih’s launched their people into the new age.
The space age.
The nations of the world came together after the fires of Nuclear war destroyed two of the major nations. It was a bloody war that killed thousands of the population. Those who survived the nuclear fire were out for a hard time.
Radiation and post-war cleanup took a hundred years. The ‘New Arzoih Unified Government’ or NAUG, ruled the majority of the world. Only smaller nations survived but were quickly absorbed by the New Arzoih Unified Government in the later years of the Space Age.
The first place to explore was high orbit. Satalites were placed and the world of Arzoih was under full observation. Orbiting space stations were built to begin a yearning to explore. A yearning to search the g alaxy.
To populate the universe and to control it all.
To become the sole owners of the universe.
The Gods of the Universe.
The first of the inter-system colonies was set up on the closest moon of Arzoih. A stepping stone to the next moon that orbited a further distance.
One by one, the planets of the Arzoih home system was taken under the wing of the New Arzoih Unified Government.
Transport through the system was at sublight speeds, it took months to reach the outer planets and the outer colonies. A smaller regional government set up on the outer planets and colonies as communications from the inner system would take hours while transport out there would take months. These regional governments were under the command of the New Arzoih Unified Government but were so islolated that they were practically their own Nation-States.
It would not be until the invention of the device that would eventually become a faster than light method of travel by Doctor Valdoon that the control of the entire system would be fully under the New Arzoih Unified Government.
Plans for extra-solar expeditions were already underway.

~ Unification ~
The New Arzoih Unified Government stretched out into the galaxy in small steps.
One colony in a nearby star. Another colony in the next. Jumping through the galaxy in small steps, one at a time. Two became three, three became six, six became twelve.
The New Arzoih Unified Government was to be a power to reckon with.
Except there was no one else.
No matter how far the New Arzoih Unified Government expanded out into the galaxy, they found no one.
No life, no sign of any source of anything that rose to power before or would rise after.
The New Arzoih Unified Government, once the sole ruler in a galaxy became an Republic ruled by a Senate.
The Senate made decisions on a galactic scale but the sectors ruled over the planets and the planetary governers ruled the population.
The power of ruling an Empire spreading half the size of the galaxy could turn some to Authoritarism. To try and take the power that could have one rule planets, rule Sectors, rule the Galaxy.
To turn a Republic into an Empire would turn brother against brother.
A Civil war is what would turn brother against broither.
A Civil war is what racked the Arzoih Repulic.

~ Civil War ~
The First Arzoih Civil War was a bloody affair that spanned the entire Republic.
Civil wars are always bloody and the Arzoih’s first civil war pitted brother against brother.
The first hints of the civil disturbances were on the homeworld. The Arzoih Republic was comfortable with slavery, Chattal slavery was common place, with lower classes of the culture were placed into jobs that were for the good of the Republic.
Some people did not like the work that the slaves were made to do; long hours and limited pay meant civil uprisings were inevitable.
Slavery was one of the key reasons for the Civil War but with all wars, it was overly complicated with numerous personal and national reasons; some people just wanted a war.
So when the Civil War broke out, it was sudden to most, some would describe it as a powder keg but it was more like a fuse.
Factions were already in place, the Arzoih True Coalition was the leader in the event but there were numerous splinter groups that came together.
It was a bloody War, hundreds of thousands of Arzoih was taken, entire worlds were put to the touch. Fatha, Kal, Suret and Cas were all worlds put to the torch by the Empire.
Insurrection would not be taken lightly.
Insurrectionists were not to be left alive.
The cancer was to be torn from within.

~ Recovery ~
The fires of the Resistance were burried under the heavy hammer of the Empire’s brutal regime.
The remnants of the resistence were utterly destroyed in the final hours as they tried to take the Capital. It was all for naught as the Empire let none survive. The cancer within the Empire was violently remoed and in the whole.
Now the Empire could stretch out into the galaxy and rebuild what was destroyed. The Empire, in it totalitarian position became harsher as the post-Civil War, controlled its population with heavy spying and observation.
Slavery of those from the worlds that aligned with the Resistence was common, even those loyal to the Empire were subject to the harsh measures.
The Empire took no mercy on its people.
But it was all for naught.
The Arzoih were not alone.
They found life other than their own.

~ First Contact ~
It was shortly after the scars of the Civil War that the first signs of other life in the Universe appeared before the Arzoih. On a small backwater system that had no other jump points other than its single entrance, on a small moon of a gas giant in the far reaches of the system in a zone thought uninhabitable by life.
The Arzoih found the Vul.
Tall, spindly, bipedal and somewhat similar to the Arzoih in appearance, these creatures were first spotted by scans of the moon, a moon once thought to be used for deep core mining would now serve a different purpose.
The preservation and study of a Xenos species.
Unmanned probes were sent down to the surface, watching from orbit and through the clouds. Xenobiologists were finally sent down in disguise, camaflaged with invisibility fields and camoflage systems. They studied, they watched and they learnt.
For two hundred years the Arzoih watched and studied the Vul, they helped the fledgling race, curing diseases, gifting technologies through genetic and mental manipulation.
It was not until two hundred and fourty six years after their discovery that the Arzoih revealed themselves to the Vul.
First Contact.
Descending from space with one of their science vessels, the Vul tribe to be contacted was picked from the hundreds because they had been made to be more complient through genetic modification.
Through another hundred or so years the Arzoih brought Vul towards the big step of traveling the stars.
They were not free however, the Arzoih now had a subservient class, a subservient race.
A slave race.

~ Golden Age ~
Stretching out through the Galaxy, the Arzoih Empire stretched far larger than the first Arzoih would have ever thought. Their Empire stretched so far that the light of a star born on one end of the Galaxy would only just reach the other end when it finally died.
A Golden Age of the Arzoih had begun and those who were brought up in such a Golden Age were at the height of their reign.
Technology flourished and the Culture thrived. Nothing could ever spoil this rise in power. Travel across the Galaxy became easier and easier as the years progressed.
The Vul were uplifted and brought into the fold. Now a Vul was on every colonised world of the Arzoih, where there were the Arzoih there were the Vul.
Medical technology had advanced to the point that death was all but avoidable. Even serious injuries could be repaired. Birth controls were now active to keep the Arzoih from spilling over its own boundaries.
Everything was perfect.
Then it became even more perfect.
Another race was found.
Another race was discovered.
Another race sprung up.
The galaxy was suddenly so active. The Arzoih found no races that matched their mastery of the void.
Of all the races, the Vul were the most loyal, some races tried to fight, some races became servants but none were as loyal or subserviant as the Vul.
All others inevitably failed their Masters.
The Vul did not.
The Vul were the perfect species for the Arzoih. As a gift to their servants, the Masters began the geneticly engineer the races that they found. To bring them into line with what they were needed for. Tasks for certain species were assigned.
Yet they always failed.
The Vul did not.
Their genetic makeup was the most maluable, always adaptive and retained its modifications with very few genetic deviations.
Through the centuries, the Masters gifted the Vul with new powers, extended life and interlect. They were used for more than menial tasks, scientific and engineering uses; the Vul were still subservient and yet their interlect was intense, higher than any other race beside the Masters.
The Masters had no idea what was going to happen.

~ Liberty ~
It was centuries since the uplifting of the Vul, it was many lifetimes since they have been given the oppatunities to learn, to develop and to become a real society.
Yet they were always under the heel of the Masters, they were always Servants to serve Masters and Masters to lord over Servants.
Some within the Vul did not want this cycle to continue, with the knowledge given to them by the Masters, they would overthrow the Masters
What began as the meeting of two figures became three, became six, became a party, became a movement, a movement became resistence and soon, the Vul itself became the movement.
A wish for Liberty and Freedom passed through the Slaves.
Plans were drawn up, contingencies and backups.
Many of the Vul were killed by their own people to keep the secret of the plans out of the eyes of the Masters.
It was a nessesacity to kill, to silence.
Finally, one of many plans were completed.
The Grael.
A paradise world discovered by the Arzoih but not well known to its files. One by one the files were removed and everyone who knew about the world was eliminated.
Alone, the system, the planet, the Grael was now the Vul’s homeworld.
The old one cast away, a new one reforged.

~ Grael ~
The Grael was the new homeworld of the Vul and from here they hatched their plans.
Under the noses of the Masters, the Vul slowly worked to hide their new world from the Masters, they stole ships, they shipped supplies and worked on the black market. For centuries they worked on their own scientific movements, they geneticly engineered their own race to become a much stronger and more unified race.
Technology was developed beyond the Arzoih, ships were under construction but with the materials having to be stolen from the Masters, the construction would be a timely affair.
It would be years, centuries, before the Vul could ever really strike out and rally against their former Masters.
With the process being so long, it would be generations before the final rise.
A long time to be a slave.
Vul would be born, live and die in the chains of slavery to the Arzoih Masters.

~ Research ~
It was understood that it would not last forever. Silence in the void was never lasting, it would be a matter of time before the Masters knew what the Vul were conspiring.
Plans had to be put into motion.
How would the Masters be fought, they could not fight a conventional war against an Galaxy-spanning Empire.
They would have to have plans in place to activate throughout the Empire and hit them where they will be hurt.
Virus’ were put into place, traps and explosives were built into structures. Vul rose the ranks and learnt the systems of the Masters and put themselves into places to be relied upon.
The Vul learnt, they served, they were gifted with more and more genetic upgrades.
They became smarter.
They invented their own creations.
One research that the Arzoih had put aside was Interdimensional Energy Research, also known as Zero Point Energy. Accessing another dimension and taking energy from it.
The Vul spent two centuries to develop this research and were able to transport an object to that universe instead of removing from it, not just energy.
An object, a physical object.
Now they had to send more and develop this technology to be able to be commanded it to send multiple at once.
The Final Plan was complete.
And it was at most coincidental time too,
The Vul’s insurection was detected the same day as the Final Plan was completed.

~ Uprising ~
The Vul were good at keeping secrets but the Masters were smart, they would find out about them soon. The Grael would be at risk the longer everything happened, day by day, month by month, year by year the Vul worked behind the scenes.
More and more the Arzoih were picking up the scraps of information that the Vul could not hide. Slithers of data left behind on databases, stolen manafests, ships stolen, weapons and supplies.
One by one the pieces fell into place.
The worst message was passed to Vul high command on the Grael.
“Found.”
Instantly plans were put into action, safeguards were activated.
“Rise” was given.
The Revolution was given the go ahead, the Revolution was in effect.
The Vul had risen.
It was quick, it was fast.
On thousands of worlds, in millions of cities, billions, trillions of Vul rose up as one, ‘Rise’ spread through the Arzoih Empire, hidden bombs were activated, in the initial hour millions of Arzoih, innocent and military were killed.
Some would say it was murder but the Vul would call it acceptable casualties.
To protect the New Vul Civilisation, to protect the Grael, they would destroy the Masters.
The Masters of the Vul would fall in this war.
The last war.

~ Betrayal ~
Pieces of information came together, agencies were at work and each one had slithers of data that would have put the picture in the clearest of clarity; however the Arzoih Empire was so vast, so many agencies and companies that had their fingers in innumberable pots.
Yet none of them knew it was happening until the word passed from Vul to Vul.
“Rise.”
The word spread like the most infectious virus and disease.
Explosions ravaged the government buildings on uncountable worlds, hundreds of thousands died in the initial minutes of the uprising. Those who lived in this age had lived for thousands of years in peace, they knew only of the Civil War through historical texts.
They only knew the Empire and its stalward position, they knew it could not fall.
Yet in the space of a single hour, the Empire of the Arzoih nearly toppled over itself.
Rising out of the slums, rising from their positions in high places, rising from their homes and rising from their shackles.
The Vul race rose as one against its Masters.
The Masters were not going to take this laying down, the Empire although it was overly confident was still a powerful entity. The Police cordoned off the areas affected, riot gear issued to bring down the uprisings of the less dangerous groups. The Army pushed into place to take care of the harsher and more armed groups.
The only issue was the postions that the Vul took. They were in every position, every job and every agency. Construction, Military, Governmental, Aggricultural, Industrial.
The Vul had their fingers everywhere.
This would be worse than the Civil War.
This was more than a cancer in the Empire.
This was a force enough to rival the Empire in scope.
Over a Hundred years of War raged between the Vul and the Empire, the Vul had been too entrenched in the Empire and had spent thousands of years in preperation for the war.
Even though it was an unexpected moment to rise, there were plans in place.
Space battles raged through the void. Ground battles took place on all worlds. The Vul and Arzoih fought for dominance in the Universe.
Until the Grael was discovered.
As with the deception, it was the little things that built up overtime. Transport routes, deleted data, wiped drives and self-destroyed ships.
The Vul were careful to hide their own homeworld but it was only a matter of time when the Grael would be found.
The Vul could not manufacture enough ship to meet the demand of the enemy, even though the Vuls had numerical advantage, the Empire was still unified, it was in a position of authority and brought its tyranical hands down like a hammer. It wiped out its own worlds, murdered its own people, glassed its own planets, all to keep the Vul from getting their hands on the armaments, manufactoring equipment and resources.
They were ruthless.
They were winning.
When the invasion of the Vul’s new Homeworld came, it came hard.
The Battle of the Grael had begun.

~ Last Stand ~
The final battle of the Vul’s last home system, Grael, was a bloody affair. The fighting outside the home system consited of the Vul’s slowly pulling back their forces against the overwhelming reach of the Arzoih’s.
They had no hope of fighting a conventional war, nevermind one stretching across the entire known galaxy.
They had to fight dirty, they had to fight in small numbers and delay the Arzoih vessels while the final plan was inacted.
It was the hope of the Vul’s that this would work.
Over the course of weeks, one by one the Vul’s hold over systems fell. The population’s of each of the worlds had pulled back to their own homeworlds or been exterminated by the harsh tactics of each side.
At=trocities were committed by both the Master and the Slave, whole worlds were put to the flame to wipe out the other.
In several instances, the Arzoih’s used orbital weaponry to decimate an entire world, not caring that their own people were being massacared on the surface along with the Vul’s.
Although outnumbering the Arzoih’s by atleast 20 to 1 in manpower, the Vul’s had a limited set of weaponry, most of it salvaged and converted from the Arzoih’s technology; the Arzoih’s had only one vessel under their own construction.
The Vul’s Defence Fleet’s “Resistence.”
The Resistence hung in orbit of the new homeworld, Grael, and kept its sensors and weaponry aimed at the systems single point of entry; it’s jump point.
When the first vessels of the Arzoih’s appeared, the Resistence did not open fire; it did not need to.
The minefield would do its job.
Entering the minefield a ship at a time, their crew blind as the ship’s sensors were rebooted during post-jump sequence; they flew right into the trap.
The construction of the minefield was a fear of technological and interstellar engineering.
A jump point was a stationary point in space but it was difficult to put anything into it as it had nothing to orbit against; so vessels and any structures placed in the spot would have to have their own propulsion or drift out of place thanks to the strange mechanics of a jump point’s space-time differential.
The mineield cut into the vangard, not one of the vessels survived the entrance into the system.
Unfortuntatly for the Vul’s and perhaps a blessing in disguise for the Arzoih’s, most of the minefield was destroyed by the drifting remains of the Vangard.
The next set of vessels entered the system and was engaged by the Resistence at long range; coming out of orbit to match the enemy head on.
A last stand.
A hopeless resistence.
The vessels of the Arzoih’s were powerful but the Resistence was made to kill Arzoih’s.
Its lance batteries lit out into the void and speared through the shields of the leading vessels, a second volley took out the leading vessels.
The Resistence was giving it all.
Round after round it fired its lance batteries into the enemy fleet. It matched speed wijth the invaders until it could not keep out of range.
Instead it accelerated.
Closing the range with thrusters to high power, it fired its lance batteries until they overloaded.
Six died as a battery detonated under its overloading batteries.
Now was time for the cannon’s.
These cannons were not made to fire beams of energy, they were made to fire metal ball baearings made of scrap metal. Pure kinetic force to overwhelm a shield system as the metal discintergrated on contact with the shields and thermal dynamics took over.
On contact with the hull, these pieces of metal ripped into the ship’s hull and pieced through the hide of the beast, ripping through the vessel.
Like buckshot from a shotgun or the chainshot from ancient vessels of the sea and oceans, they broadsided the Arzoih’s vessels with the buckshot.
They were, however, in the maw of the beast.
The Arzoih’s fought against the Resistence with the fury of the Master’s disgrace.
They tore into the Resistence and took it apart shot by shot.
When the Resistence fell, it fell with style; its core detonated at the most vital of moments, all hands were lost as the vessel charged into the heart of the enemy’s main fleet.
The cover overload wiped out the Arzoih fleet.
High Command on the surface cheared! They had repulsed the Arzoihs!
Then they saw it.
Drifting out of the wreckage under its own power.
A single Arzoih Destroyer.
They had lost.
The Grael would fall.
The orbital weaponry tried to fire upon the Destroyer.
It did nothing. It stopped their weapons with its Kinetic Barrier
The Ground Based Orbital Weaponry fired upon the Destroyer.
It did nothing. It stopped their weaponry with its own weaponry
With the bright golden light of high energy plasma, the Destroyer fired its weapons.
One by one the defences fell and the Vul fled for their bunkers.
It did not help once the Destroyer fired its main battery.
High energy plasma burnt the very skin of the Grael, turning everything into glass.
There was no one left to see the Destroyer’s weapons cease its fire. Deactivating with a vivid gold glow still eminating from the super heated alloys.
The Destroyer stopped its fire right above the Capital, its engines ceasing as it put itself in Geo-sync orbit above the center of the Capital.
Silent.
Alone.
Sleeping.
Waiting.

~ Defiance ~
At the heart of the Arzoih Empire, at the heart of the very Empire that spanned through the galaxy.
Everything was changing.
One by one the people of the Arzoih Empire were snapped away. In a blink of an eye every Arzoih was being taken from this universe.
In fact the whole planet of Arzoih Prime disapeared from the space it had orbited since the start of the universe.
The Arzoih did not go quietly either, they screamed and they panicked. Some died before they disapeared as they panicked.
One by one the Arzoih Empire was ripped from existence at the hand of their slaves the Vul.
The Vul had been destroyed but the Vul had taken their killers with them.

~ History ~
Nothing was left.
Vul.
Arzoih.
They were both destroyed.
No Vul survived the Arzoih’s burning of their world.
No Arzoih survived the strange Vul weaponry.
All that was left of their Empires were dead worlds, long dead and abandoned.
The Grael, a perfect world that was too be the glory world of the Vul, was now a baren wasteland, glassed by the lone ship hovering in orbit above what was the former Capital of the Vul Empire.
Empty, alone and sleeping, awaiting anything to come close to the tomb world of the Vul.
Now, life has been able to thrive, with the deadly Arzoih and the subserviant Vul gone, life was now evolving at its natrual rate.

[A translated fragment of a history book from a cave painting.]

We were alone.
We were alone and we were afraid.
Our stars shone brightly and the sky was dark but it was empty. Alone.
We are alone.
I am afraid

[An extract from an ancient historical text book.]

The Antaran history was steeped in religion and mystery. Even now historians are still trying to learn and discover events from the history.
As with other races created and found through the galaxy. Religion was always the first thing to push inovation. Religious wars and crusades filled the histories of thousands of races.
It seems that all races and creatures yearn for a greater being.
The only race to become a greater being was the Antaran’s.

[An extract from an ancient historical text book.]

Many of early advancements of the Antaran race came from the early years of its history. Many races were observed to go through several different ages and era’s. One of the early developments was in what we have dubbed as a Medieval.
The common line of early advancements came from warfare between the species and the Antaran’s were not any different.
Clocks, Printing Presses, Gunpowder and currency.
It is interesting to see cultures develop in such the same way.

[An extract from an ancient historical text book.]

As with many races in the galaxy, the Industrial Revolution hit the Antaran’s hard. One culture became the dominant civilisation for almost five hundred years, this civilsation would spread to share its culture and technology through the entire world.
The Empire would change the world.
The Empire would become the backbone of the Antaran people’s push into space.
However, strife would still occure.
War was upon the Antaran people.

[An extract from an ancient historical text book.]

As with many cultures through the galaxy, war was always on the forefront of the mind.
How to conqure the world.
How to keep thy neighbour at bay.
The barbarians at the gates.
It was here in the pits of the Varthar Land that the Antaran people knew the true horrors of war.
Thousands, millions dead in the fields.
Endless rain, endless mud.
The bodies floating and rotting in the stretches between the pits.
Trench warfare was something every race went through.
It was something every race had to endure.
To suffer.

[An extract from an ancient historical text book.]

The skies were raging, the skies were falling. Bombs fell from the stomachs of metal birds.
The cities were bombed and the industry halted.
This did not stop the people. They strived, they fought and they killed.
They fought tyranny and echoed in a new age of prosperity.
But war, war never changes.
Prosperity for some brought desparity for others.
A new kind of war.
A unheated war.
A war of spies.
A war of decipt.
A cold war.

[An extract from an ancient historical text book.]

The nations of the Antaran people were at each others throats. Steeped in the mythology of their Gods, the Antaran North and the Antaran South feared each others capabilities.
They were scared.
They were readying for war.
A war to end all wars.
The fire of the Gods would burn the heathen from the face of the world.
Launched on arrows of fire, the Gods touch would descend from the heavens and destroy the heathen.
Burning in the heat of the Atom.

[An extract from an ancient historical text book.]

A technology that brought the world to the brink of extinction would be the salvation of the Antaran people. On the very machines that would have brought the fire of the atom to the heathen had brought the first object into the heavens.
Soaring through the sky, the blue faded, the dark black of night took hold. The void.
Space.
The rocket arched through the sky and spat out its contents. The probe soared through the sky and descended back to the world below.
To chears and to applause.
The Antaran’s had sent the first object beyond their world and into the heavens.
It was now the Antaran’s turn to join the Gods.

[An extract from an ancient historical text book. The First Antaran into Space.]

I sat in the capsual. I saw the world outside the window.
I was scared.
I feared for my life. I feared for my wife and our newborn baby.
Would my child grow up to see its father? Would they grow up without me?
Would they grow up hearing of the disaster of the launch?
Or would they grow up hearing stories about the hero.
The first Antaran into the Heavens.
The fire of the atom-bringer shook violently. I thought it was going to shake itself apart.
I was scared.
I shut my eyes as the force pressed down on my chest. I only opened them when the force left me.
Then nothing.
I opened my eyes and I was floating.
I unfastened by belt and looked outside.
I saw stars, I saw the world below.
I looked and looked, but I did not see God. I only saw our world.
Antaran. It was beautiful
It was so beautiful.
I wished we could stop fighting.
I wished we could increase the beauty of this world.
Not destroy it.
It was beautiful.
I strapped back in and waited.
That was when hell pulled me back with a vengance.

[An extract from an ancient historical text book.]

It was finally complete.
After so many years it was finally complete.
All the nations of the world had come together and united under the world government. The Empire.
Our people have reached the stars but to continue to other worlds, to our moon. We have to build a stepping stone.
We have to have a space station.
It was finally complete.
After ten years of work, the last piece was put to into place.
The crew were set to arrive in the next hour.
Our first step into the void.
Our stepping stone.
Stepping Stone.
That would be a good name.

[An extract from an ancient historical text book.]

Antaran was far behind us. The three of us were going to be closing in on the first of our moon. We will be descending on the surface within the next few minutes.
Antaran looks so small.
The moon looks so…
We’re descending.
We drew straws on the shuttle.
I am going to be the first.
We prepared speeches but…
I can’t remember mine.
It is an important occasion.
Words should be important.
Words should have significance.

[An extract from an ancient historical text book.]

When the first Antarans landed on the moon, they became famous. Gods among our people.
We may not be the first Antarans to land on the moon but we will be the first to land on the furthest moon.
We are the furthest Antaran’s from home.
Antaran was but a twinkle behind us.
We are closing soon.
Within the days end we will be in orbit.

[An extract from an ancient historical text book.]

Beep
Beep
Beep
The probe was making its way out.
It had been going for a number of years.
It was making its way out of the system faster and faster.
Ever reaching.
The first Antaran made machine to leave the solar system.
Beep
Beep
Beep
“Hear me, Hear me.” It cried.
Beep
Beep
Beep
“I am Antaran.” It bellowed.
Beep
Beep
Beep
“Hear me, Hear me.” It cried.

[An extract from an ancient historical journal.]

We are going to be reaching out into our own system. We are going to build a better world for the Antaran people. We are going to stretch our grip into the unknown.
But first, we needed a staging post. We needed a starting point. It is too costly to put things into orbit of our homeworld so we need a base.
We need a staging point.
A moon base.
My new home.
We are the first to arrive here. We are the first to begin our work. We are going to bring a better future to the Antaran people.
Eyes looking up to us, from our little home in the stars.
We will rule the universe one day. I just know it

[An extract from an ancient historical text book, a quote from the journal of a scientist.]

Space. A vast distance of and transit between these vast disances takes time.
Something that would take years or even centuries to reach other places in the solar system, nevermind in another solar system or beyond.
What was needed was a faster than light transit system.
A Warp drive? A Jump Drive? Whatever it would be called, the first breaking of ground would take place at the Xarlan Military University.
A single atom was transported through a bubble of energy. Slipspace? Jump Space? Warp Space?
The name would come along at some point. I’m sure.

[An extract from an ancient historical text book.]

The edge of our solar system.
The edge of our known world.
We have seen outside our solar system with probes but we have not ventured outside of it.
The furthest colony on our furthest world stares out into the void, walking the edge of the world.
We harvest these worlds, collect their resources and sending it back to the Empire.
The project is coming soon. The project needs more resources.

[An extract from an ancient historical text book.]

Command, this is Stargazer 1-1. We are ready for launch.
Ready Stargazer 1-1. Time is set for fifteen seconds. Ready your mark.
Readying Mark Command.
Command, Mark.
Stargazer 1-1, Mark.
Fifteen.
Power systems stable.
Fourteen.
Thirteen.
Communications Link established.
Twelve.
Eleven.
Limiters set to Maximum,
Ten.
Nine.
AI Connection locked.
Eight.
Seven.
Navigation is Green
Six.
Five.
FTL Engine Spooling.
Four.
Three.
Wish us luck Command.
Two.
One.
Launch.

[An extract from an ancient historical text book.]

I have arrived.
The ship is cold.
Engine is down.
FTL has gone into cooling mode.
Navigation is working its magic.
The AI is checking the results.
Have I arrived?
I have. I am here. I did it!
We did it! I am in another solar system! The drive worked!
It worked!
It worked!
Ha ha. Ha.
It worked.
Five hours.
In five hours I will return home.
I will be a hero among my people.
I do not care. I have made the first jump into a new system.
I am the furthest Antaran in the void.
I have made the impossible.
This is the future!
It worked!

[An extract from an ancient historical text book.]

Naralus was the first of the Gods chilren and now Naralus will be our first child of the void.
The Empire set up the colony on the sixth plant of the world, orbiting a gas giant. We named it Naralus after the first child.
Naralus will be the first of many, first of thousands.
We will stretch out into the void and we will take this universe as our own!
It will be ours! It will be ours!
What if we are alone? What if we are destined to be the ones to rule this universe.
What if we are not alone? How will the Empire react if the next system we jump to is populated.
We will have to find out when we get there.
In the meantime, Naralus will be our first child.
The first child of the Empire.
Naralus.
First of the Empire

[What appears to be a leaflet from a faction during what appeared to be a Civil War or debate.]

Brothers! Sisters! Are you sick of the weak within our Empire! Are you sick of your neighbour treating the community land as his own? Do you want to do something about it but the local Magistrate is friends with your neighbour?
The Arzoih True Coalition will back you up!
Your brother and sisters of the Coalition will support you in any territorial claims you make against neighbours who resist the call of unity.
The Coalition will protect those who work for the good of the Empire.
Only through Unity can we move forward.
If we are along in this life then we must be one.

[An extract from a battle report by the Empire side]

We have taken six of the outer colonies and we are currently fighting back against the seperatists on the core worlds.
They are fighting well, they are holding many key locations on the homeworld and the inner system.
We have put boots on the ground in the outlands and have moved into the city centres. They are waiting for our signal and the fleet arrives in system.
We will be ready to retake our world from the seperatists.
We will succeede.

[An extract from an audio log]

We are taking heavy casulaties, the loyalists have taken the HQ and are taking the city sector by sector. We are not going to be able to hold them for much longer.
Evac is supposed to be on its way but we had reports of ships in orbit.
They won’t be coming.
We have set up traps and locked ourselves in buildings.
If they want to take us out, they will have to come down and get us.
It is going to take more than a handful of loyalists to get us out of here.
We want our freedom! We want to see the oppressive regime fall.
We want democracy! We want our freedom!

[Extract of an Empire field report.]

Sixth Company is inserting into the city now. They have spotted activity in the market and have begin pre-assault checks.
We think the insurrectionists are hiding in the basement of a nearby general store.
Sixth Company is armed with three Anti-Infantry Light Armoured Vehicles and will clear the grid of any hostiles before the Engineering Corp lands and sets up our base.
We will use this as a staging post for the rest of the planet.

[The Journal of an Antaran Navy Ensign working on the bridge of a Command vessel in the Sixth Fleet.]

The Insurrectionists have taken six worlds in their war.
High command have determined that this cannot be allowed.
Even with the possible civilian casualties they have decided that it is time to take this to extreme measures. The Vengence has been dispatched to the first world to enact the Final Measure.
The land, the sea and the heavens will burn with the power of the atom.
So many thousands, millions will pearish but it is for the sake of the Antaran people. We will conqure them. We will secure them.
We will be victorious.
This war will be ours and the Insurrectionists will fall.

[The Journal of an Insurrectionist.]

The Empire is going to fall.
Not from our own meddling, for we are trying to save it. It is those who believe we are Gods, that we are only here in this universe because we are the strongest.
It is not true, we may be the first but we may not be the strongest. Many are disolusioned by the Empire, if we are alone in this universe then we must bring life to it, not destroy our own people.
The Empire burnt Fatha to dust because the people there wanted a say in the Council, they wanted a vote and the Empire burnt them.
We did not even have anyone on Fatha!
They sent their bombs and they nuked the world from orbit.
I knew innocent people on Fatha, there were people who had nothing to do with this war!
They only wanted a democracy, not an dictatorship!
I weep for Fatha.
I weep for the Empire.
It only means I fight on more!

[Audio sent out from Insurrectionist High Command at the final battle of the War]

This is the final battle my friends. We have lost.
We have tried to bring democracy to this Empire, we have tried to bring peace and unity through friendship, comradary and honesty but this Empire does not want that.
They would rather see our people as Gods, they would rather us rule the Universe in fear rather than in peace.
I know most of the Empire does not think this, but they are cattle, willing to follow the most powerful only to save their hide.
If we ever find others in this universe, I pray for them, I pray that they do not become slaves to our people.
I pray that we do not become Masters of the Universe.
I pray our people burn than betray our legacy.
For our people! For Antaran! For a Free Democratic Antaran!

[An Audio extract from a communication between Antaran Command and a field commander. Field Commanders audio only]

The Insurrectionis are pulling back to the Delphine sector. A number of them have made their way to the core and the capital. What are your orders?
Yes sir, we will proceed to Delphine. What is the Rules of Engagement?
Roger that sir, no prisoners.
Alright men! Let us get this ball rolling! We’re heding to the Delphine sector. Command wants us to wipe out the last of the Insurrectionists while the rest of the fleet pulls back to the core. These fools think they can win! What do you say to that?
Ooo-Rah Indeed! Ooo-Rah indeed.

[An extract from an alert bulliten spread on the Capital of Antaran Prime]

Attention Citizens.
Victory has been attainted.
The insurrectionist forces have been defeated.
They are in retreat.
They have lost.
Remain off the streets.
A Curfew is still in effect.
Any Citizen found on the street will be charged with aiding and abetting the Insurrection.
To any Insurrectionists still at large.
Surrender.
You have lost.
You will be granted a clean death if you surrender peacefully.
Failure to surrender will grant no relief.
Surrender.
The Empire is victorious.
Long live the Empire.
Long live the Emperor.
Long live the Empire.

[A video extract of a Antaran News channel]

“Death. Death is what the members of the insurgency will be given today live on Empire News!”
“Six members of the Inner Circle were captured last month in the final acts of the insurrection’s defeat. Empire Peacekeeping forces cleared out the hideout of the Inner Circle located here in the capital, right under the noses of the Government. “
“We cut to the live feed now.”
[On screen, the feed changes to a large open space, a set of gallows stands in the middle of an open plaza filled with Antaran civilians. Police forces surround the gallows as six members of the Insurrection’s inner circles stand with black hoods over their head, nooses already around their necks.]
[A man strolls out, hooded in the ritualistic robe and hood of the Royal Exicutionor, the man stopped in front of a leaver on the far side. Each member had a lever.]
[With the efficiency of an professional, the man pulled the levers of each one as he went along. The six hooded figures falling down through trap doors. Legs shaking until they ceased.]
[The feed cuts away.]

[An ancient journal from a Vul Tribal Leader before the arrival of the Arzoih]

The Zo clan have attacked out people once more. We do not know how long we can handle these attacks, the females have been cut to nearly a third of what they were once before.
We do not know if our clan will survive.
The plague has ravished our clan too. A hundred of our best warriors died to the plague in the inital spread.
The Fo and the Bo clans are gone.
Only the Zo and the Ko live in this region and the the Zo are going to consume us.
Gods above, please come and save us from this death!
Our people need guidance.
We are dying.
We need food.
We need water.
We need to survive.
I pray to the Gods, send your angels to us!
Please.
I pray.

[A fragmentary data stream from a data slate appearing to be part of an ancient communication.]

We have possibly identified life in the strangest of places. What has long been known as a forrest rich environment with our telescopes has had a whole new meaning brought upon it.
We have possibly found life other than our own.
After all this time, have we found life?
The life does not respond to our messages but we can see changes on the environment. We have watched the moon and our team has finally released our findings to the Grand Council.
We hope that in our future we talk to them.
I wonder what they would say?
I wonder what we would say?

[Journal Entry]

Our probes have settled in to orbit of the moon and began to take photographs of the world below. As our telescopes had shown, the moon itself is mostly covered in thick tree’s, it atmosphere appears to be stable and our experts have hypothosised that it would be breathable.
The probes have detected movement on the surface. The council have decided that we will observe their progress and adopt a plan of non-interferance.
We will watch them and learn from them.

[An Arzoih journal entry studying the probes over the Vul Homeworld.]

Our probes have continued to monitor the cultures down below on the world. We have decided that we will make contact with them soon.
We need to make sure that hosility will not occur so we have taken precautions.
We have intercepted a number of the creatures below for study, we have inspected, disected and examined them for diseases, virus’s and cultural preferences.
We have studied their culture so our arrival will be peaceful, we have prepared cures for their common diseases to pass through their culture and we have prepared selected technologies to give access to.
Uplifting will not occur for some time but we will aborb them into our Empire.

[A reproduction of a cave painting painted as a fresco on the ceiling of a half-ruined building]

The image shows an array of simple drawn humanoid figures staring up at the sky and a descending shape. A large circle with a pointed top descends down from the heavens with streaks of paint signalling its descent from the black void of space.
Descending from the circle a small set of lines that seemed to represent a staircase or ramp. Stepping down the ramp was a figure, it seemed to be holding its hand out in outstretched greeting.
The figures below seemed to be in awe of the being on the ramp.
A small line of text is painted below the humanoids figures, the translators quickly assess and replace the text. A simple three word sentence.
“We have been chosen.”

[An extract from an ancient hand written journal]

The Gods came to us from on-high, they descended in their chariot of fire and landed in the crop field. Their chariot burnt many of the crops but the Gods were kind enough to give us new crops in return.
The Gods wished us happiness and have constructed a hallowed hall where they will leave a delegation.
The Gods have come to help us! The Gods call themselves “Arzoihs”.
The Gods cured a child of sickness with a small tube of blue liquid.
It was a miracle, the Gods have announced they will give everyone cures for any sickness.
We are certainly blessed.

[An ancient journal entry from an Vul during the first years of the Arzoih’s interferance.]

It was a rather odd experience to have the great ones from the sky come to us. They have showed us so much in the little time they have been here and they keep showing us more.
Diseases that rocked out people to the core were now gone. Even the common sniffles have been wiped out!
Some have called the Arzoih’s Gods, some have said that we are not worthy.
Many of the people in my village have been calling the Arzoih’s another name. A name I am not so sure about but Isee no way to change their minds.
The name itself makes them seem like Gods, like our creators.
The Masters.

[An extract from a Xenobiological report.]

We have decided that the Vul’s will become more than what they are.
We have begun to map their genome down and have discovered links that we have found in our own. In the past we have been able to modify our own genome to adapt to whatever surroundings we find ourselves in.
Colonise a frozen wasteland, we change our body to adapt to the lower temperatures.
Colonise a world with a trapped rotation, leaving half the world in darkness; adapt our eyes to see in the dark.
The Vul’s will be our new subjects. We will make their people more suited to their position in the hierarchy.

[An extract from an official report left amount what appeared to be a Xenobiological Report.]

System Code: XX4589-A-O12
Race: Vul
Notes:
It has come to my attention of a divergent strain that has developed certain sections of the creatures brain that I believe would be problematic if it was to continue its spread through the population.
I took the proposal to the Gene-Master and he confirmed that it would be prudent to remove said strain.
We have taken the sample batch and initiated Gene alteration

[A Journal entry of an Arzoih scientist.]

It is time to bring the Vul into our world. They have shown that they are willing to learn and serve us.
This is great news. The Council has allowed the first Vul community to be taken from their homeworld.
Until now we have kept them on their homeworld and worked from our orbital stations or the few ground bases connected to some of the stations via the space elevators.
The Vul will be uplifted.
The Vul will be brought to the intergalactic stage.
We will, however, be careful with them.
We do not want our servants to ever rise above us.

[A torn and destroyed journal of a Vul leaving their homeworld for the first time.]

They are taking us to their great vessels of the sky.
They are taking us from our world to their own.
We will be joining the Masters in the sky as Gods.
We may serve them with all our will but they will see us as special.
They tell us that we will be cared for, that we will be much happier than on our own world.
Zuul thinks that we’re going to be slaves.
Zuul ran away in the night.
I don’t think he’s going to come back.
They are coming soon, I must finish packing my belongings.

[A hand written note attached to an Antaran Xenobiological report]

It has been over two hundred years since the discovery of the Orion home world and the first non-plant Xenobiological race in the known galaxy but we have finally found another.
Our scientists have been searching for something, anything. Our people cannot be the only life form in the galaxy that has developed space travel.
If we are the first then we have a responsibility to shape the galaxy in a way that is either beneficial for us, or bring the lower races up to a level they could possible be of use.
We are watching the new life forms. They appear to be in an early Industrial age, compared to the early Neolithic age we found the Orion’s.
It may be wise to neuter these people as their technology could increase to a point that would be a nuisance to suppression efforts if they decide to resist our embrace.

[A hand written journal entry hidden inside an old book]

Aboard the Masters vessel, I have had the opportunity to see much of our high lords mastery of the void. I have watched them guide their vessels through the void and watched them commit to their scientific method. I have aided in their efforts, cleaning their vials with the substances they have allowed me to use, I have taken notes as the Master spoke during their work.
It is enlightening.
They have found something, we have arrived in a system one of the probes reported back with viable status. I was unsure what this meant but when I saw the images from the orbital scans I knew what this meant.
I have seen life beyond my own and the Masters.
Life of another species. A species that will join the fold of our Masters grand Empire.

[An extract of a journal entry found in what appears to be a lab.]

It is very strange to watch our Masters work with the races of the galaxy that have not been embraced by their warm embrace.
Their structure touched by the Masters, twisted and reformed so that their children will be closer to perfection.
If the children do not become what the masters want then they are further touched.
Were we touched by the Masters? Was our structure altered and changed to fit their desires and needs?

[An extract of a report into the Xarin species extinction event.]

The Xarin have regetibbly died.
A plague swept through their population in a matter of months. It was not expected but it seems our meddling had some unintented concequences.
The plague was actually a genetic disease, passed through the population for the past ten years, we will need to perform a root-cause analysis of our work to see what the instigating problem was but I have been led to believe it was a meddling with the protein sequence tha would, in fifty years, give the population the ability to consume the grain we supply to our slaves.
It seems this gene mutated through several carriers and upon contact with a viral agent, became a virus passable by touch, and soon, air.
The last of the population has been left isolated in communities of ten to fifteen across the world.
We believe their estimated time till extinction is a matter of months.
We will intervene and bring them aboard, transfer them to a Species lab for monitoring and study.

[A Journal extract from an Orion cleanup crew on Xarin Prime]

It is a horrible thing what the Masters have done, how could they have let this happen?
Should not their science be used to help others? Are they not the Masters of the Universe? Are they not so powerful that they know all?
I am conflicted.
The work crews and I have spent three weeks cleaning the bodies out of the streets. We are immune to the plague but we still have not been allowed to leave the planet.
I am scared.
I think they will put us to the dust when we are finished. The others are of the same mind.
We have slowed work enough to take time to plan.
I am scared.

[A Journal Entry of an Antaran scientist’s Orion slave.]

They are unaware that we are watching. The reserve is vast and the station has the ability to create a holographic land with ease.
If a Xarin wanders too far they seem to be staying in place and walking, but to them they are walking for miles.
Food is grown inside the reserve and observers are hidden by holographic emitters.
No one but the registered are allowed inside, and those that do are concealed.
I have been inside and have been watching them. The Xarin, are so much like the. What if we were them?
What if we were modified like they were? Our people wiped out in a plague, the Xarin cleaning up our bodies on the surface of their home.
I need to talk to the communion about this thought.

[The Journal of an Orion watching over the extermination of the Xarin world.]

I watched the planet burn from orbit. They cleaned out the planet of all the useable resources and then burnt the world.
From my place upon the bridge, serving the High Captain of the vessel, I watched the world burn.
Xarin was taken and turned to ashes.
I am saddened, it is not the first world I have seen burn under this fleets fire. Turned to glass and dust with the over burning heat of the fire of the Masters.
I am saddened.
Will it be our people next? Will our people be taken by disease?
Will the Masters simply burn our world like the Xarin?
I am saddened.

[The journal of an Orion helping the seeding of a new cultures adaptations.]

Today we have finished with the modifications to the Kalth genome. The Master has said that I have done well and if I was to keep up the performance, he will modify my own genome to no longer sweat as much as it does on this world.
I am always sweating and it makes my job a lot harder.
This world is too hot for me.
The Master is okay, he has his genome adapted, and he has his suit to keep him cool and hydrated.
The water here tastes strange, tangy.
I don’t like it.
I have used my cloaking field to release the last Kalth back into their tribe, they have no idea that they are being modified, this male is a perfect breeding specimine for the sector, we have six of them in this tribe and they will spread our modifications over the next few years.
When I look upon the Kalth, I see them far upon the way of the Master than us. They have ships that sail the seas, they have ships that sail the skies and have mastered the power of the atom.
Yet the Masters will not bring them into the fold.
The Master told me they require “More adaptation for compliency.”
I pray they do not reject our adaptations or the Kalth may yet disapear from the heavens.

[An extract from a report on the Orion Plague.]

It is a terrible event and we could not foresee this happening.
As with the Xarin, a plague has ravished one of our worlds. Luckily the plague did not wipe out any Antaran’s.
We however lost the Orions.
Not just one, but quite a few.
Actually. Reports have came in that every single Orion on the world has sucumb to the virus.
We do not know where the virus started but it appears to have been introduced via genetic engineering test AHAO233-23-A.
The virus propgated through the population within a matter of days. It was strange that the side effects were not picked up during the quarrantine phase of the introduction after test AHAO233-23-A, as was protocol.
Protocol seems to have been followed but we have looked into the personnel in charge of the test.
Unfortunatly all Orion’s on Varlax have sucum to the virus.
We have secured the world under a quarrantine of any materials that the infected Orion’s were in contact with.
Production will be hampered by the quarrantine but we have put the other Orion’s in the Empire at a higher percentage quota to make up for lost income.

[An extract from an Orion Journal.]

We have heard of the tradgedy of Varlax and we are disheartened.
I knew many of our people on Varlax and they are now gone.
Not gone, murdered.
We know that the Masters have been meddling with our core, meddling with our genetic makeup.
They did this to us, intentionally or not, they did this to us.
They did not even try to cure the plague.
They let our people die and are working the rest of us to the bone to make up for ‘lost profits’.
Lost profits! The gall of it.
I have always been supportive of the Masters, they found us, they brought us to their lands and raised us from the dirt.
But enough is enough.
I never wanted to attend the meetings but I believe I will be going tonight.
I knew many on Varlax, I don’t want their sacrifice to be in vain.

[The remains of a journal entry]

I left the Halls of Erudition last night, I was right under the Masters nose and they were unaware of the acts I committed.
I made my way into the mapping room and replaced the coordinates for the Grael with those of a distant star.
I pray that the Masters never find out.
I pay that the Masters will pay for what they have done to us.
Long live the the Grael, may it forever remain closed to the Masters.

[An internal message]

I did it, how did I do it?
He looked at me, he had mumbled something about coordinates. He had been researching stellar cartography and I had been assigned to help.
He had found errors in the database. He had journeyed to the Halls of Erudition and had spent the night researching the errors.
I had to do something.
I could not contact the network.
I could not risk the network being revealed.
The light fixture was easily removed from the table, its heavy weight was light in my hands.
The Master crumpled onto the table. No one was around. I had to do something.
His body remained in the seat while I used his access to wipe his searches. I worked at the Halls of Erudition and the systems were known to me.
I placed the body in the recycler. It was strange how easy it was to dispose of. The recycler turned the Master to organic matter to be reused as food supplements.
The Grael will remain hidden.
The Master died so easily.
The Master’s can die.
If one can die, many can die.

[An addendum to an official report. Apparently a note from the investigator]

It is rather odd, and I am at an impasse.
The Vul’s have been disappearing.
Full scale investigations have come up with nothing.
They are simply gone.
Perhaps this is systemic and there is a full scale conspiracy afoot.
Or perhaps someone is murdering slaves.
Either way, we have slaves on the run or property damage which needs to be punished.

[A thin piece of paper that seems to be easily disposable has somehow survived untold centuries. It appears to be a propaganda or secret leaflet.]

Brothers, Sisters, Slaves.
For too long have we been under the heel of the Masters, the ones who came from the sky and took us from our home to use us.
We have a place, it will happen but it will take time.
Brothers, Sisters, Slaves.
We will be the Masters. We will show the former Masters that even the tallest tower can fall as quickly as the lowest mound.
The Grael will hold us all.
The Grael will be our home.

[A fragment of a military message sent to Commanders of the Arzoih Military on Arzoih Prime.]

We have reports of the Vul’s pushing for the Planetary Defence Military Cache’s here on Arzoih Prime. We are also recieving reports of uprisings on the Solar-Defence Platforms.
Patchy messages are coming in from the other colonies and systems. It is happening throughout the Empire.
The Planetary Defence Forces are having trouble with holding the insurrection, the Tertiary Guard has been activated.
All Company Commanders are to report to their local High-Com representative stated in their activation dockett for tasking.
This is not a Drill. This is not a Drill.
We have a full scale Insurrection on our hands.

[A brief report given about the theft of supplies from a Deep Space Anchorage.]

The report has come in about the stolen goods from the transport manefest. We are unsure of what most of this is needed for but the boxes of Plasma grenades and the Photo-Seismic charges are worrying.
The one thing I am worried about is the crate from the Union, they said that it gave off some spikes on the Rad-Monitor and that we were supposed to leave it away from everything.
I have reported to the Union and they are sending a representative to come and organise the ranks.
I have put all the Vul’s on the shipping detail under lockdown until the Union representative arrives.
Below is a list of the equipment stolen.

64x Bottles of Platazoid gel.
44x Bottles of Oraua Plasmid.
41x Crates of Durasteel Void-Covering.
06x Boxes of Plasma Grenades.
11x Crates of Dur-plastic Coating.
12x Bottles of Type-C Shuttle Fuel.
02x Bottles of Type-D Shuttle Coolant.
01x Crates of Photo-seismic Charges.
01x Crates of UNKNOWN_SERIAL_IDENT.

[An entry into a handwritten Journal. It is written in an ancient language that appears to be an ancient derivation of Vul]

We have found something that we can use.
One of the vessels that has been taken over by the Uprising has arrived at the system that we decided to be our new home world and it is better than we had ever thought.
The system was left under the automated terraforming efforts of the drones and it appears like no one has been here in centuries.
We have scouted the planet and it is viable for a colony. The Uprising has many in the Halls of Information. We can start to make our secret home world.
We need a name for it.
In our ancient culture, there was a secret place, a place the people hid from evil.
We can use that.
The Grael.

[A segment of an incident report about some battle or engagement.]

The ship came out of no where, we were attacked first and defended ourselves. It was surprising, the vessel first appeared as a simple transport but the exterior shifted and weapons were unfurled.
Phase cannon’s and torpedoes took our shields out but their systems were either not as advanced as our own or were underpowered. We fired only three volleys and their shields fell against our Phase cannons.
We tried to disable the vessel but after close analysis of the wreckage and scans taken during the engagement show that the vessels power core was tied into a lot of the weapon systems directly. Overloading the weapons sent a feedback loop into that destroyed the vessel with a power cascade.
We sent a report to High Command and we were not the first vessel that were engaged. Many of these ramshackle vessels were destroyed but a few of them managed to destroy a number of our smaller craft.
It seems we have been engaged in war.
The Vul’s have risen up.

[The remains of a message sent to the surface of the Grael]

We thought we had them, we thought we had ambushed them but the Masters are more powerful than we had thought. We opened up with cannons and torpedoes but they took our hits and threw their own back at us.
We are taking heavy damage.
We are losing shields.
We are losing weapons.
Power is going out on all decks.
We thought we could trick them, our ships littered with hidden weapons.
We thought we looked like civilians.
We thought we caught them off guard.
They are too strong. Power is failing.
We’re…

[No more of the message remains, it was cut off at the source]

[An extract from an Arzoih military report.]

The Colony of Zardash has been taken by the slaves. The uprising is becoming more serious than we had feared.
We do not know how they took out or facilities there but it has something to do with the slaves who were working in the facility.
All Level Zeta access has been revoked from all non-military personnel and the Vul’s have had all access removed.
This rebellion will be ended one way or another, even if we have to eliminate every last Vul.
This cannot be allowed to continue.

[An extract from a recovered Vul Journal.]

We have done it! We broke through their defences and shut the colony off from the Network.
We have our first major victory in our war! Our war for freedom!
The Arzoih’s will not stand a chance.
It was easy! Too easy in fact.
Many said it could not be done but we got away with it.
Six of the Vul’s working in the Planetary Headquarters had level Zeta access. They simply opened the doors and we walked in with guns blazing.
The Arzoihs were slaughtered to the last man.
We will have our freedom.
We will be free!
For Vul!
For the Grael!

[An extract of a journal entry left over from an Vul Slave on the Arzoih Homeworld.]

He got in! He got in!
The chosen one managed to slip through the security checkpoint. They did not manage to find our package.
I am watching from the security of the transit vehicle. I can see the chosen one making his way into the open plaza.
Our package will greet the Masters with our holy vengence.
It is beautiful!

[An extract of a military report given after an Vul bombing.]

Security measures have been increased for the next six months after the bombing by the Slaves.
Death toll is at six hundred and fifty five. Injured is almost three times that.
Reports are still coming in.
We have found the faults in our security and they have been filled. No Vul, even proven loyal, will have access through any security measures
We will not let this desecration pass.
The slaves will be put to dust for their acts.

[A copy of a fragmented journal entry by a Vul revolutionary during the uprising.]

We have passed pamflets out, we have printed them on specalist paper aqquired from Central Intelligence. It is surprising how much of this paper they just throw away.
The paper will disolve in water, so if any one of our people are caught they can easily dispose of the evidence.
Our gathering will be kept hidden for atleast a little while.
We will not be stopped.
We will not be allowed to give in.
We have more and more followers every day.
Within the year we will have enough to do something worthwile.
Maybe one day we will be free.

[An inter-communication message sent via the preludes of the Vul Uprising.]

One of our people have been caught. They took him to Central Intelligence. I think he still had some of the leaflets on him.
He had been passing them out at the Communion Centre.
If they find out that we have this paper, they may track the source, they may find out that we have more reach than they think.
They see us as mearly tools, equipment, slaves.
When they find out we hold power in quite a lot of places, they will eliminate us.
Send one of our insiders to eliminate the captured one.
We cannot risk the Revolution.
Not right now.

[A follow up report retaining the capture of a Vul with Revolutionary Propoganda.]

This report follows as an update to a previous report.
Report XDDSHSHW-2212-ASD-A. The holding of a Vul servant in the Distath District of Daltu’s Capital, Daltu Prime.
The Vul in question was in possession of material and contraband that is believed to be Revolutionary propoganda being spread among the people of Daltu Prime and perhaps the rest of Daltu.
We do not know how far this propoganda has spread but we have begun investigation into the sources of the material.
Unfortunatly the Vul in question was found dead in his cell One hour before questioning was to begin. It appears as if the Vul in question was not searched properly and had somehow managed to retain a thick cord of material. The room’s light fixture was removed and the I Beam supporting the ceiling tile was used to hang himself.
The only access to the cell was the Vul who brought the food for the inmate and the guards on watch. We are keeping an eye on the Vul who entered but it seems that nothing was brought in.
The scene is mysterious and we will continue our investigation.

[A brief dispatch sent to Arzoih Command during the Uprsiing on Yolgro]

The Vul have taken Sixth Avenue and are pushing down Fifth and Seventh.
Somehow they have armed themselves, perhaps via access to the Planetary Defence Force’s cache or weapons stored for this Revolution.
I don’t know how anyone did not see this coming! There are so many of them!
They are pouring into the streets.
We cannot hold them off, our numbers are not enough to hold back their masses.
We need orders! We need orders now!
Command. Give us the word, we are taking fire, they are hiding in the middle of civilians, women and children.
We need orders to fire at will or we will be overrun.

[An audio file of a Vul Officer speaking over an Audio-Extender in the street of Sivoih]

Brothers!
Push them back!
We have taken the Main Roads!
We have taken their outposts!
We have taken their weapons and their vehicles!
Push for their Command Centre! If we take it, we will win this city over for our people!
We have the right of the Gods!
We will be victorious!
For the Vul!
For the Grael!

[An internal message passed via the Vul Insurgency on Ikvix]

The worker at the Planetary Defence Force barracks has passed along this week’s access code for the Armoury. He has been tasked with cleaning the weaponry and keeping the ammo stocked.
This is the chance we have to get weapons.
If we do this, they will know we have attacked, but we can make it look like their own people commited the crime.
The Arzoih had a civil war years ago, we can use that to our advantage.
An unknown uprising, hiding under the veil of another older uprising.
It will be glorious.
The worker at the Planetary Defence Force Barracks will be killed for the theft but it is a sacrifice for the cause.
A sacrifice for the Grael.

[A Arzoih Security Report detailing ships hijacked and stolen at Zohnih Station]

Security forces upon Zohnih Station have reported that the Vul have seized control of three of the docked Cruisers, two of the docked Battlecruisers, Six Frigates and a Battleship.
Somehow they have set sail into the void and are taking the ships to the Jump Points.
This is the sixth attempt by the Vul forces to steal vessels. Even though they pale in the numbers of our fleets, they have stolen a significant number of vessels.
Additionally, with reports of the Mothball fleet disapearing over the years, a feat we put down to pirates and scrappers, it now is clear that the Vul have been preparing a fleet for a very long time, decades atleast.
How long had this been under our very noses?

[A brief note left behind by a Vul commander.]

The Revolution is in full swing, we have managed to steal away another selection of vessels from underneath the Master’s noses. They would have undoubtfully noticed but it adds three Cruisers, two Battlecruisers, Six Frigates and a Battleship.
This brings the fleet up to almost on par with one of their task forces. Not much of a force but we have secured vessels, this means we can defend our people, we can bring our people away.
Bring them to the Grael.
Finally we can match them in the Void.

[A journal Entry of a Arzoih Investigator.]

Another bomber made an attempt this afternoon in the Urie district of Ceds. We managed to stop his attempt and he had a small object around his neck, it seemed to be a taisman, a blue and green circle that is dotted with silver dots.
Inspector Struvvaens believes this may represent a planet and the dots stars.
We have consulted Central Intelligence and they have taken the object.
They told us this would be the key to Uprising.
That we have won?
I am unsure what it means but we have all been given promotions. Central Intelligence has made us Special Investigators.
I cannot wait to tell my Mate.

[A Security official of the Vul Military’s comments left on a security report.]

Ail’id has been captured.
We are unsure if he is alive or dead.
We hope he has perrished in his capture, he was instructed to take his own life if he was to be captured.
I found out from Zohnih that he was frequent to carry one of the many relgious icons of the Grael, if he wore this in his act of defience then we are seriously in trouble.
I have made comments to The Council.
We have made ready for a defence of the Grael.

[A Vul War journal entry late into the war.]

The Masters have deployed their dogs against us!
When the Masters conqured many worlds, they developed their new slaves into whatever they wanted. It was only the Orion’s who proved to be useful in the interlectual and the long standing reverence we gave them.
This meant we were used for the longest.
We were trusted.
We had power.
Our fellow slaves from other races did not have his luxary.
The Tavrel have been deployed against us, their hardened insectoid armour built and reinforced through mechanical augmentation and genetic modification over hundreds of years.
Now the Tavrel have been deployed against us, we are falling back from Cez’as. We cannot hold the world.
The Masters have wrestled Cez’as from us, but they will never take our freedom!
They will never take the Grael!

[A City official’s orders broadcast through the internal communications net.]

Deploy everything against the slaves!
Use other slaves if you have to!
Deploy the Tavrel! They will crush them under their claws.
I don’t care if you have to unleash the damn Scovruk from the Sewers and use them to clean the streets instead!
Bring order to my damn city!
The Council will have my head!

[A once secret communication sent between a Vul agent and his handler.]

The Cy-Net has been taken down.
The Masters have no idea.
When they try to deploy their drones, they will find them inactive or unstable.
We have an edge brothers.
For the Grael.

[A fragment of an audio call between an Arzoih technitican and a Security Checkpoint.]

What do you mean the networks down!
What do you mean the Drones are not working! I can see one right now! Its flying outside and… its…
Oh by the… Its firing on out own men, our civilians! Innocent civilians!
Shut it down! Shut it down now!
What do you mean the networks down! I can see them flying around!
Then shoot them down! I don’t give a flying crap if they’re ours or not! They’re killing out people!
Deploy more troops to the Eastern sector, the Vul have started fires and are getting out of hand.

[A fragment of a report sent out by a commander of a starship sent to the Vul Home world]

We have arrived in system.
The Vul’s have no systems defence force.
The Vul’s have no starships at all.
The rest of the fleet was hit by mines as we arrived in system from the jump point, only two ships remain
We only need one for the job.
We are entering orbit and unsealed the special orders packet.
I already knew what the orders were before I even unsealed the packet.
Destroy the Grael.

[A remnant of a message sent to the loved one of an Vul.]

They have come, the Masters have come.
We have no ships in the system that can fight, warships were hard to come by and we only have old mothballed ships.
Those ships were not here.
Only transports remained and they were quickly destroyed.
Our minefield has taken their fleet but two ships remain.
They’re coming into orbit.
Go to the bunkers. Hide and hope they do not find you.

[The personal entry of the Captain of a vessel in the final stages of the Cleansing.]

The Council orders have been passed down. The ship has passed through the minefield and is on a course for the planet. We will end this damn rebellion with fire and with the blood of the slaves.
I have set the ship to automatically begin the bombardment without the need for any guidance.
It is a simple clean up from here. The entire world is going to burn.
Even if something happens, we will have ended them.

[An audio extract from a military officer’s personal unit]

Get below ground!
Get below the ground! In to the bunker!
Stay calm! Stay orderly!
Do not push! There is plenty of room below!
The supplies will last! Do not bring anything with you!
Leave your belongings!
There is enough room for everyone!
Do not push! Stay calm!
Order! ORDER!
Oh gods! Run! Run! It’s coming closer…
Its…
[The audio cuts out]

[An extract of an Audio file sent from Vul]

Quick! Put another cell into the chamber! The repeater is going to recharge soon!
[Sounds of grunting and scraping of metal]
Reloaded! Ready for the repeater!
Repeater is charging!
Ready shot!
Target locked!
Fire!
Status?
Repeater is charging next shot. What about the target?
Target is untouched. Shields still active.
Damn! We got to keep this up. There are not many cannon’s left.
It’s coming near! I think its coming for us!
We got to run away!
No! We stay. We keep firing. For the Grael! For our people! For the Vul’s
[The cannon repeats three more times before static fills the audio]

[The personal journal of a Arzoih Navy Captain.]

The Fleet is ready and the Navy is prepared to launch the last assault against the tretorious Vul.
They will be wiped out from existance, even if orders are to let some live, I will not be letting any of them leave. Every last Vul will burn.
We are to make our way to the Jump Point within in the hour.
It is time to destroy the Vul and their so called ‘Grael’.

[A pair of Vul military specialist’s conversation between each other recorded on an audio file.]

The last of the Vul have been brought through the jump point, we are going to activate the Minefield, all other Vul have been warned away but if any were to come through the jump point; they will run right into the minefield.
It took our greatest scientists to develop the technology to keep a minefied in orbit of the Jump Point, with all its spacial artifacting.
The first ship to come through the jump point will not activate the minefied, it is delayed but it will be a spectacular display.

[An Arzoih military report concerning the Grael and possible defences.]

Orbital fire is easy to target but it is a waiting game. Once the fire hits, the ships are usually destroyed instantly, if the shields don’t hold.
Surface based anti-ship weaponry can be powered by reactors much larger and much more powerful than those that run and maintain a ship or space station. That means the calibre of projectile or energy blast is much higher and more destructive than the ship equivelent.
Targetting said surface based anti-ship weaponry is easy, the faciities and weapons do not move and are usually built into platforms and mountains. Detectiving the weapons is usually a hard enough proess and requires extensive scans of the surface; a regional or topigraphial map is usually helpful to map and coordinate against but this, ‘Grael’, we do not have any records of the world, some believe that they removed said data from all networks; perhaps somewhere in the Empire is a hard copy.
We do not have time to search for it.
Hopefully we can deal with orbital fire when the ships arrive. We are due in the jump point in an hour.

[The scrabblings of a Vul soldier on an official report sent up the chain of command.]

Fire orbital cannons! Defence batteries A-S2 through to D-J2 have fallen in the opening barraige, it was a massacre.
The batteries managed to get off three volleys but and it was enough to wipe out those who made it through the mine field.
A ship, a single ship. I think.
We’re doomed.
Hopefully the surface batteries will be able to take it out.
Or we are doomed.

[Arzoih Warship attacking surface of Grael]

We have eliminated their command centre.
We have eliminated their bunkers.
We have eliminated their orbital weaponry.
We have eliminated their anti-orbital defences.
They cannot stop us.
The slaves will no longer bow to the masters.
The slaves will be wiped from the heavens.
The slaves think we will not hurt their women, their children.
Their ‘innocents’.
They will die like the rest of them.
The slaves will feel the wraith of the Masters

[The remains of a last message of a Vul Holdout in a bunker]

They are coming.
We can hear them coming.
They are at the doors.
They are outside.
We cannot escape. There is no way out.
I only hope that our people have made it out.
The Masters will fail, the Masters will fall.
Even though I will not see it, I will celebrate our victory.
Even though I will not see it, I will celebrate the Grael.
I am going to take my last drink and face the Masters like a true Vul.
I am armed. I am dangerous.
I am free.

[A fragmentary message repeats through a series of beeps and musical notes. The translator quickly pulls together the message, which is still fragmentary.]

They are coming from the sky, we thought we had hidden ourselves away but they found us.
They were right, they would find us. They were right, the Masters would never let us go.
I can hear the screams outside the bunker, even through the armoured bulkheads I can hear the screams.
Our people are dying and we cannot do anything.
What is done has already been done.
We have killed our Masters.
The Masters have killed us.

[A message from a Starship in Geo-Sync orbit of a world.]

The starship remains in geo-sync orbit, forever circling the same spot for untold time and would until its destruction.
A simple repeating code, a repeating message.
“Flee. Flee. Do not approach. Flee.”
“This is a ing. Flee.” “Face desion if you ine the warning.”
“Flee. This is your last warning. Flee.”

[A fragment of an audio recording.]

“It is time.”
“But what about all the innocents?”
“There are no innocents in this war. The Masters have done this to us, they must pay.”
“But I know children, I know women who have never hurt a fly. I know men who want us free too.”
“They are all casualties of war.”
“This is genocide.”
“It is what we must do to be free. They are destroying our home, reports have come of a fleet arriving in the Grael system. They have already begun orbital bombardment.”
“It… it isn’t right.”
“They have killed us Zaral. We will make sure they are killed too.”
“I…”
“Begin the Conveyance.”
“Conveyance underway.”

[A Data packet containing random numbers and codes, undecipherable, but there is a note of text at the bottom.]

It has begun. We have put the devices in place and the Arzoihs do not know what is right under their noses. They are unaware of the scale of their destruction.
It will be entire and it will be all encompassing. We have tested the device on several targets. Ships, asteroids, people. Organic or inorganic. It does not matter
The Masters will fall.
Their end is neigh.
The Masters will fall.

[A fragmentary message floating around the information database]

Help.
I don’t know what’s happening.
Something is happening.
The sky is darkening.
The clouds are swirling, everything is turning purple.
Help us!
I don’t know what’s happening.
People are panicking outside the building.
It is the Vul’s! We know!
They did this! Curse them!
We destroyed them and now they destroy us!

[A final audio entry of an Vul commander in the final hours of the burning of the world.]

We have reports from our satalites around the Arzoih homeworld.
It has worked! We have succeeded! The Masters have been defeated!
We may be destroyed by their hand, their ship in orbit is burning our world but we have won.
We may die, they may think they have won but they have lost and we have won.
The Masters have fallen and that is the best outcome for the universe.
The Vul’s were slaves but we have killed our Masters.
We are no longer slaves.
We are free.
Free to die.
No one may know our name
No one may know our past.
No one may know our actions.
But our actions have saved the universe from the Masters.
Our actions have saved the universe from a fate worse than death.
If the Master’s ever returned, I do pray for those who stand in their way.

[A brief note found attatched to a damage folder. The contents of the folder is illegable but the note itself is readable.]

I have created a long brief to describe the weapon to the council but I feel like a brief description would help a lot more to those not versed in the high sciences.
To some it would even look like magic or a tale.
Many dimensions and realities exist in the same space as our own, unseen and untouchable.
The device is used to pull an object from our reality and shift it to another; we took this technology and have developed it from an Arzoih faster than light technology left by the wayside as their technology advanced.
They did not care about other dimensions.
We have created this device with a detector and a transporter for the genetic markers of certain races; even with the Arzoih’s genetic changes, they are still Arzoih and this device will see that.
They will be taken to this place, all of them gathered on a single world, their ships will be left adrift, their technology ripe for the plunder.
Their infrastructure, their Empire will be ours.

[The remnants of an Audio log, apparently from a communications technitian.]

They are going silent.
We hear screams on the communications links.
We do not know what is happening but it is spreading like a wave.
The inner systems are the first to hit, the Slaves must have hit our homeworld, it is spreading faster than the speed of light. That is the only way to get around this quickly.
If it was the speed of light it would be thousands of years.
They are screaming about disapering, fading.
I think one of them disapeared on the line with me.
Wait, where is Jarul. Jarul? Where…
What is happening! I… I feel strange…
I…
Oh by the Gods.
Help me!
Help!
He…

[A remnant of an audio log, perhaps a call between to Arzoih’s.]

Yes, I have an appointment for three at the Karuthma for at sunset. It is a window seat with a perfect view of the Sarantha planes and the towering spines of the Uraalalaah.
Mera? You there Mera? Hello Mera?
*The sounds of a crashing on the line as something like a vehicle crashes.
What the… Everyone’s disapearing. What’s going on!
Mera! You there? Oh…
Oh…
Gods its happening to me…
Its… happe…

[An audio recording of what appears to be a weapons test conducted in secret by the Vul Government.]

We are ready for the first major test of the device.
We have our test subjects captured and are in a remote enough system that if the Masters were to detect us, we will be out of here with the weapon longbefore they arrive.
Our spies in their ranks have their fingers deep.
Run the Omega Protocol.
The audio clip cuts off and restarts at a later time frame
The test was successful.
More sucessful than we ever imagined. Every single member of the Xarin we have disapeared within seconds of activation. Our teams on the various test sites in the system reported the same outcome.
We have a weapon that can end the Masters once and for all.
They will be wiped from existance and their Empire left for the taking!
Long live the Vul!
Death to the Masters.

[A Vul Audio Journal entry.]

We have the weapon en-route to the destination. We are going to end this war once and for all. I do not know how we got it out of the system without them knowing but it was a stroke of luck.
The Masters will fall soon.
I only hope the Masters do not find us before the weapon is fired.
We have very few defences left.
Only our flagship remains in orbit of the Grael.
Our orbital defence batteries will not hold them for long.
Oh Gods.
They’ve detected movement at the Jump Point.
The Minefield just activated.
They’ve come.
By the Gods. They’ve come.

[A Fragmented message repeating on very high frequencies.]

We… return…
We… return…
We… vengence…
… Slaves … pay for … … did.
We … not … destroyed.
We … not … defeated.
… have grown stronger.
We … waited.
We … bidded … time.
… will have … vengence.
… … destroy … children … Vul.
You … all … destroyed under … heels.
… once we … kind, … are vengeful.
Where … … once peaceful, we … on … war path.
Where … … once … … take slaves, we … … no prisoners.
We … … Arzoih Empire.
We are Death.