History of Drago's Reach

Terran Empire History

The Terran Empire was born in blood, a result of a century-long struggle against a terrifying enemy: the Xenovores. These formidable and deadly creatures, who viewed all other sentient life as nothing but food and slave labor, were the catalyst for the empire's formation.

2397: Xenovore War

In 2397 AD, Humanity was battling a terrifying enemy: the Xenovores. The Xenovores, a formidable and deadly force, viewed all other sentient life as nothing but food and slave labor. They attacked humanity without warning, posing a threat of unprecedented magnitude.

A hundred years of war brought humanity to the brink of extinction. They ended only with a heroic and suicidal attack by the combined Human Alliance fleets against the Xenovore homeworld and main colonies. Billions of Xenovores were killed, their slaves on minor worlds rebelled, and the Xenovore power was no more. Now, humanity had to rebuild.

Despite the victory, the cost was high. Too many ships were lost, too many worlds were devastated. With the Xenovore threat greatly diminished, various worlds pulled out of the Human Alliance to concentrate on self-defense or to pursue old grudges. The Ackalians and Thorgons took this opportunity to annex border regions amid chaos and uncertainty, further complicating the post-war landscape.

2400: Colonization of Olympia

In 2400 AD, settlers from a cooperative group of Chinese, Western European, and American pioneers established themselves on the planet they named London, which orbits the white star, Olympia, located at the time, just outside the Terran Empire (known in 2400 AD as the Human Alliance). Once the planets London and Peking, also orbiting Olympia, became stable, Chinese settlers moved on to inhabit the world of Heng Xing, orbiting the nearby yellow star Tortoise. Other humans also claimed worlds around the blue star Blue Shroud, the red star Red Horizon, and the yellow star Cotswold. (Note: worlds around Tortoise have Chinese names, around Cotwold have Western European names, and around Red Horizon have American-inspired names).

The worlds of Olympia became the core of the five-system alliance known as the Olympian Alliance. They became a jumping-off spot for those looking for freedom, opportunity, or something else in the Misted Veil sector of what became known as Drago's Reach. Note: This location is "10 o'clock" from Earth, far and away from the Xenovores, Ackalians and Thorgons at "3 o'clock" from Earth.

2426: Reunification of the Terran Empire

In 2426 AD, Admiral Marissa DeValiere assumed command of the Sol System Defense Fleet and began rebuilding the Human Alliance as the Terran Union. Her methods were simple: show up with an overwhelming force of ships and soldiers and demand surrender. Most small-time warlords, self-appointed "provisional governments," and newly formed "confederations" had little stomach for fighting a real war, and reunification was swift. In 2434 AD, she invaded the Capac world, a human world whose people simply wanted to be free and refused to submit to her demands. Her ships destroyed Capac's defenses, and her assault troops seized the capital. President Wu of the Terran Union was outraged and demanded her resignation. In response, she returned to Earth with her entire fleet, arrested Wu as a traitor, and defeated his loyalist forces. Her coup was successful, and in 2435, she took over as Acting President, which became a lifelong position in 2436. She spent the next 20 years stabilizing her regime, quashing rebellion, and creating the administrative structure of the new Terran Empire.

2451: Pirate's Defeat

In 2451, the pirate Paul Drago fled the Terran Empire military's pursuit to the asteroid system Dobolynexa, now known as Vulture's Rock. While the vast and dangerous asteroid belt provided an excellent defensive position for Drago, the military firepower of the Terran Empire fleet was too much, and Drago and his ship were destroyed. The Fleet Admiral said, "Thus ends Drago's reach within the Terran Empire," and the moniker stuck.

2505: Thorgon Invasion

In 2505, the Thorgons invaded two border provinces and destroyed a Terran Fleet sent to hold them off. Empress Ximena had little tactical ability but found a commander who could. She promoted Captain Toshiro Kanagawa from Captain to Admiral and told him to beat the Thorgons. Kanagawa did so, bypassing contested sectors to invade Thorgon space and destroy Thorgon shipyards, supply depots, and industrial facilities in dozens of systems. His ships had the newer hyperdrive and displacer drive stardrives, enabling him to easily evade Thorgon fleets sent to destroy him. As his fleets approached their core systems, the Thorgons pulled back their homeworld and sued for peace. The resulting Treaty of Kapteyn cost them dearly, as the dozens of parsecs once solidly part of the Thorgon Empire were transferred to the Terran Empire.

2518: Swift Victory

In 2518, the Ackalians tested the strength of the Terran Empire with an invasion, but this time, the Terran Empire was ready. They efficiently cut off the Ackalian invasion force while seizing critical Ackalian border systems. This swift victory served notice to other empires that the Terran Empire was now a force to be reckoned with.

2548: Thorgon-Ackalian Assault

In 2548, the Ackalians and Thorgons allied and assassinated the Terran Empire advisor before initiating their war. Six years of war came to an end at the battle of Tetsuo, where the Ackalians decided greed for more resources was more important than assisting their Thorgon allies. Millions died - Imperials, Thorgons, and Ackalians - but the Terrans pushed into Thorgon and Ackalian worlds. The Ackalians hoped for a negotiated peace, and when that did not happen, they retreated back to their core worlds. The Thorgons, now on the verge of collapse, surrendered and lost more systems, and suffered a crippling economic indemnity.

2590: Olympian Reunification War

In 2590, the Olympian Alliance fought a civil war. The outer worlds - those in the outer systems (Tortoise, Cotswold, Red Horizon, Blue Shroud) - lived hard lives while the inner worlds (Olympia system) - high tech and rich - lived the good life. Many companies on the inner worlds took unfair advantage of the outer worlds. The outer worlds rebelled, but lacking the resources and technology of the government, they failed. There is still resentment towards the inner worlds by those living on the outer worlds.

2598: Emperor's Death and Heirs

In 2598, Emperor Kemal's death with three potential heirs brought uncertainty and a civil war to the Terran Empire. Grand Duke Richard was the obvious candidate and had popular support, but he disagreed with his father on policies and lived in virtual exile in the spinward provinces. Richard's sister, the Grand Duchess Marissa, was Kemal's favorite at his time of death and had strong backing in the Senate and Imperial Bureaucracy. Emperor Kemal's nephew, Count Ivan, was a well-respected military commander in the Thorgon Neutral Zone. 

On Earth at the time of Kemal's death, Marissa quickly got the Senate to confirm her as the new Empress. Richard and Ivan refused to accept this decision and advanced on Earth with their fleets. They both appeared before the Senate to plead their cases, and the Senate listened but refused to change their ruling. This resulted in the current Civil War in the Terran Empire.

2600: Civil War, and the Present Time

And now… The year is 2600. The place is Drago's Reach…