The Rookie

by Scott Sigler

  • May 19: The Great Sneak Attack. League of Planets forces invoke new stealth technology to travel to Allah, defeating Purist forces and conquering Purist capitol.

  • Purists immediately pull every ship out of war and head for Allah, abandoning weakening Ki forces. When Purist ships arrive in Allah system, League leaves without a fight.

  • Harrah offer aid to Union for far-flung Whitok outpost. Union and Whitok, who can no longer hold back Sklorno, agree to terms.

  2598 • Union forces, led by Harrah frigates, conquer Ki forces and re-take Thomas 3.

  • Ki Rebels declare all debts owed to Ki Empire invalid and sneak attack Ki homeworld.

  • Ki immediately retreat to deal with new threat.

  • Tower/Leekee forces attack Rebels at Re. They are defeated and the Tri-Alliance members withdraw from war, leaving Ki Empire with no allies.

  2600 • Ki Empire surrenders to combined delegation of League, Union, Rebel and Rewall forces.

  • Harrah claim Whitok outpost, christening it Mathara.

  • Harrah give Sklorno cease-fire ultimatum. Sklorno return to their system.

  • September 6: Galactic Accord signed. Ki navy limited to 100 active ships, and 100 dismantled and in reserve for defensive purposes. Union Watchdogs installed on all Ki ships to insure compliance with treaty. Ki allowed to hold all of its possessions. Rebels demand Ki homeworld for their part in the war. Other systems just want peace and officially end war with promises of retaliating to any hostile Rebel actions.

  The Great Peace

  2601 Planetary Union buys back Jones 2. Purists sell because they do not want to go to war in their weakened state.

  2610 The Great Mapping Conference. System borders are hammered out to everyone’s satisfaction. The new map clearly marks territory and makes it obvious to identify the aggressor. This brings about a relative peace.

  2634 Quyth claim that map is incorrect, that Sklorno border is too close to Gritchlik and Chikchik.

  2636 Second Galactic Peace Conference held. Quyth and Sklorno are not liked by anyone, and little attention is paid to their border dispute.

  2637 • Tiring of constant border raids by Quyth, Sklorno send major force to border.

  • Quyth respond by sending a major force.

  • Ki achieve pre-war economic status.

  2638 Tensions on Quyth/Sklorno border continue to rise, war seems imminent.

  • Prawatts announce their intention of backing the Quyth if war should break (Editor’s Note: a major turning point in the history of galaxy, as it was the Jihad’s first political move).

  • Purists, who now have their navy functioning again, claim rights to Jones 2, saying that they were coerced into selling planet, for a fraction of its worth. Purists say that Union would have destroyed Allah had the Nation not sold Jones 2.

  • Rodina threatens secession from the Union.

  The Cretarakian Age, 2639-

  2639 Cretarakians achieve FTL capability. Quyth, Rewalls and Harrah claim Cretarak. Cretarakians claim allegiance to no one and friendship to all. (Editor’s Note: the Cretarakians had been quietly monitoring the galactic events of the past 200 years without being discovered. They knew exactly what was going on when they announced their presence. They are far ahead of where any other race was at the FTL discovery phase of their histories).

  2640 • Quyth, Rewall and Harrah fleets converge on Cretarak, tensions soaring — none of the three governments is willing to give up rights to the world, while the rest of the galaxy tries to decide how to handle this unprecedented situation.

  • Skirmishes erupt amongst the three fleets.

  • Cretarakians claim self-sufficiency, send delegations to the three fleets to negotiate a settlement.

  • The three fleets welcome the tiny, seemingly harmless Cretarakian delegations. The Cretarakians are far from harmless. Swarming by the thousands, the small, flying creatures erupt from landing bays and within hours have captured all ships from the three fleets.

  • The Cretarakians launch 50,000 landing ships that have been concealed on the planet. This reveals a level of technology not only unsuspected by the rest of the galaxy, but unknown to anyone (Editor’s Note: the Cretarakians planned their galactic attack for over 125 years).

  • Each ship contains at least one million Cretarakians. Fifty billion Cretarakians spread through the galaxy within days. Thousands of ships are destroyed, but at least four ships land on every colonized planet in the galaxy. The Cretarakians completely bypass navies, choosing to land on planets instead.

  • Once on a planet, the Cretarakian flocks unleash a devastating ground attack. Their speed, natural flight, and high-powered weaponry makes them an unstoppable force. Within one week, all ground armies are overwhelmed.

  • Whitokian governments, based underwater, remain intact, but all land is overtaken.

  • Prawatt Jihad has more time to react, being at the edge of the galaxy. They irradiate outlying worlds and colonies, and fall back to their system. They manage to destroy all of the Cretarakian ships targeted for their core system.

  • Quyth government retreats to irradiated worlds, where the Cretarakians choose not attack.

  • Planetary Union forces, led by Admiral Joshua Baugh, attempt a desperate attack on the Cretarakian homeworld. The Cretarakians use their captured warships to hold off the attack.

  • League of Planets Blue Fleet, numbering over 1,000 vessels, joins the assault, but the Cretarakians are waiting — they have discovered a design flaw in League ships, and manage to use small boarding vessels to swarm the League ships, capturing all ships in one devastating tactical stroke.

  • Ki Empire and Ki Rebellion navies join forces in an attack on the Cretarakian homeworld, but are soundly defeated by the technologically advanced captured League ships.

  • Almost 900 Cretarakian warships and landing vessels enter the Portath Cloud and are never heard from again.

  2641 • Cretarakians demand the surrender of all navies. Initially all systems refuse, but the Cretarakians begin to execute thousands of hostages every day.

  • The Planetary Union surrenders first, on the orders of Admiral Joshua Baugh.

  • The Ki Empire surrenders.

  • The Ki Rebellion manages to evacuate government officials to a warship, and declare themselves a space-faring race, abandoning their planets.

  • Purist Nation surrenders.

  • Tower Republic surrenders.

  • Leekee Collective surrenders.

  • League of Planets surrenders.

  2642 • Cretarakians abandon efforts to pacify Rewall Association and Kurgurk. Scientists aren’t even sure if the Kurgurk knew the Cretarakians were on their planets — the Cretarakian armies were completely ignored.

  • Harrah Tribal Accord surrenders.

  • Sklorno Dynasty surrenders.

  • Cretarakians abandon efforts to pacify irradiated Quyth Concordia planets.

  • Cretarakians abandon efforts to pacify Whitok Kingdom — Whitokian underwater combat technology too great to overcome.

  2643 • Cretarakians in clear control of the Galaxy. Most species suspect existing governments are working with the Cretarakians, creating an overpowering, Cold War atmosphere of distrust.

  • Murder rates skyrocket, as do isolationist cults and cross-species violence.

  2644 In an effort to control cross-species violence and racism, the Cretarakians take over all shipping between worlds.

  2645 Cretarakian shipping proves to be clumsy and poorly communicated. Goods and services are delivered late, often not at all, and industry begins to suffer heavily.

  2646 • The Galaxy dives headlong into economic depression. Despite strict Cretarakian discipline, murder and violence rates continue to climb. In cities and planets that formerly encouraged diversification, violence becomes a daily occurrence.

  • The Cretarakians begin to realize they don’t understand the behavior of other species. Cretarakian scient
ists assumed that once they had control of all military forces, a great peace would ensue.

  2647 • The Dark Time — the depression hits the worst levels ever, with galactic unemployment at 25 percent.

  • Cross-species relations reach an all-time low.

  • Organized crime swells to new heights, providing unobtainable goods and services for exorbitant prices.

  2648 The Cretarakians give up on their role as the galaxy’s shippers, turning the duties over to the Ki Empire.

  2649 The Ki Empire provides an overall organizational structure, coordinating the shipping fleets of all subjugated governments. Almost overnight, the demand for imported goods and services skyrockets as items once again become available on most worlds.

  2650 The Planetary Union introduces a galactic supply-and-demand computing system, tying all shipping vessels into one gigantic, coordinated fleet. Economic recovery continues to boom.

  2651 • Despite increased trade, cross-species violence is still a major problem, so severe it interferes with shipping as vessels are illegally searched and crews harassed or detained based on race.

  • Ki Rebellion piracy becoming a major problem.

  • Organized crime grows stronger by preying on shipping.

  • Cretarakians refuse to give any government warships to deal with the piracy problem.

  2652 Cross-species violence becomes an epidemic as terrorists do the unthinkable, simultaneously nuking three cities (one each on the Planetary Union’s Earth, Leekee Collective’s Grinkas and Ki Empire’s Ki). Purist Nation is suspected, but there is no proof.

  2653 • Cretarakians ask for help in controlling cross-species violence and piracy. Planetary Union officials introduce a plan for “System Police” departments — para-military forces made up of indigenous species that protect their various governments.

  • SP ships are armed, but are significantly weaker than Cretarakian warships.

  • SP ships are given limited search-and-seizure powers.

  2654 • Cretarakians finally admit they need help in improving species relations. League of Planets steps up, introducing non-contact galactic sporting events.

  • Sports have historically brought races together, not only for humans, but for all sentient species.

  • League scientists believe group dynamics that have held true for intra-species race relations will also hold true for inter-species relations.

  2657 • The sporting events prove to be a boon to the entertainment and travel industries, but is not producing the predicted cross-species cooperation.

  • Physiology results in single species dominating various sports.

  • Harrah dominate all racing events.

  • Ki dominate all strength, hand-to-hand combat, and throwing events.

  • Sklorno dominate non-contact field sports like soccer.

  • Humans dominate all hand-eye coordination sports like hockey, archery, etc.

  The Galactic Football League Era

  2658 • League scientist Demarkus Johnson unveils a plan for the Galactic Football League.

  • Football is the only sport where various positions cater to the different physiologies.

  • The Cretarakians readily accept, funding a test league of 12 teams.

  2659-

  2661 The GFL is an immediate success, as it forces species to work together. In addition, it is the first occurrence in decades where fans of one species root for players of another.

  2662 The GFL expands to 14 teams.

  2663 • Purist Nation citizens rise up against Creterakian control. System-wide riots occur as citizens attack Cteretakian garrisons. Creterakians bring in military reinforcements to quell uprising.

  • Human death count uncertain, at least 12,000.

  • Creterakian death count: 7,213.

  • Reverend Abdul Smith uses situation to mount bloody coup, takes over church leadership.

  • Smith works with Creterakians to investigate uprising, uses investigation to remove potential enemies.

  • Millions flee Purist Nation as Smith’s Creterakian death squads spread through system.

  2664 • Demand for teams is so great that the GFL expands to 18 teams.

  • Station 1 Givers, Buddah City Elite, Hittoni Hullwalkers and Srabian Salient added.

  2665 • “The Disaster.” Purist Nation police under Abdul Smith’s orders impounds the New Rodina Astronauts’ team bus. The Purist Nation police accuse the Astronauts of spying — all non-human players are executed.

  • Governments are outraged — anti-human violence soars.

  • The GFL season is cancelled.

  • Purist Nation church coup results in Smith’s death. Mullah Abigail Chase new leader.

  2666 • Cretarakian officials decide to eliminate the GFL.

  • Club football teams flourish.

  • A Ki businessman starts a new 12-team league to fill the gap, the Inter-Galactic Football League (IGFL). The IGFL is open to any team.

  2667 • Despite low caliber of players, limited traveling ability, and a lack of security, the IGFL swells to 26 teams and is an instant hit with football fans.

  • The Fangs, a Ki-based team, are killed when a terrorist bomb destroys their team bus.

  • Tower Football Club members are killed in a freak cosmic-ray accident.

  2668 • The IGFL swells to 32 teams. It is a great year for attendance, and a bad year for teams: four teams are lost in shipping accidents or terrorist acts.

  • Illegal search-and-seizure by SP forces continues to plague the league, resulting in harassment, beatings, and several injuries that impact game outcomes.

  2669 • Faced with mounting deaths from unregulated IGFL teams, the Cretarakians again start up the GFL.

  • GFL “team busses” are given diplomatic immunity — they cannot be stopped or searched by any SP forces.

  • The 18 former GFL teams are re-instated, and 4 IGFL teams are added to the ranks.

  • The Cretarakians disband the IGFL, breaking it down into six smaller leagues that play all games within the borders of a single government. Acts of SP harassment drop considerably.

  2670 The 22-team GFL enjoys a successful season without any violence.

  2671 League officials are flooded with requests by teams wanting to join the GFL.

  2672 The GFL reorganizes, absorbing the former IGFL teams as “Second Tier” teams.

  2682 The present.

  League Structure: Tier One

  There are 22 Tier One teams, broken into two 11-team divisions (the Solar Division and the Planet Division).

  Teams play a 12-game season, with 10 games against their Division teams and two cross-divisional games.

  The top four teams in each division make the eight-team Tier One playoff. This three-round, single-elimination tournament finishes with the Solar Division Champion facing off against the Planet Division Champion in the Galaxy Bowl to determine the GFL Championship.

  The two division champs face off in the GFL Championship.

  The team in each division with the worst record drops into the Second Tier.

  The top two Second Tier teams move into the First Tier.

  Players on Second Tier teams that move up are protected for two seasons, to give new First Tier teams a chance to win without their talent being raided.

  League Structure: Tier Two

  Human League (Planetary Union, League of Planets, Purist Nation)

  Tower League (Tower, Leekee)

  Ki League (Ki, former Ki Rebel Alliance planets)

  Harrah League

  Quyth Irradiated League

  Sklorno League

  Modern-Day Political Alignment

  GLOSSARY

  The Ace: Quyth Orbital Station I, called “The Ace” by Humans. A massive artificial structure, The Ace was created as a solution to overcrowding on the Quyth homeworld. The Ace is over 350 Earth years old and has a population of 1.1 billion. Also known as “The City of Ice” for the crystaline b
lue material that makes up buildings and support structures.

  The Big Eye: Slang term for Ionath City Stadium.

  Bedbug: Slang for Sklorno males, because all they want to do is get the females into bed.

  Bureau of Species Interaction: Also known as the BSI, the Bureau is the agency responsible for helping the different races get along. The Creterakians hate war and violence, and will go to great lengths to end the deadly rivalries between the major races.

  The Combine: A station orbiting Creterak that functions as the Galactic Football League’s headquarters. All rookies are brought to The Combine for extensive testing before being allowed to play.

  Cricket: Racial, derogatory term for Sklorno.

  Cross-crescent-star: The symbol of the Purist church, combining the Christian Cross, the Islamic Crescent and the Star of David.

  The Deuce: Quyth Orbital Station II, called “The Deuce” by Humans. A massive artificial structure, The Deuce was created as a solution to overcrowding on the Quyth homeworld. The Deuce is almost 300 Earth years old and has a population of 740 million.

  Five Star Circle: The symbol of the Quyth Concordia, with one star representing each of the Concordia’s five planets.

  Flashbugs: Robots that emit patterns of colored lights. Used in nightclubs.

  Fly (flies): Racial, derogatory term for Cretarkians.

  Fur scraping: derisive sound made by Quyth Workers, caused by rubbing their forearms. Hard bristles of fur make the noise — equivalent to a “boo” from a Human fan.

  Gatholi: Quyth equivalent of “craphead.”

  Giving Day: The Purist Nation’s version of Christmas.

  High One: The Purist Nation’s name for God.

  high-G Human: A Human born and raised on a planet with 1.5 to 2 times the gravity of Earth. High-G Humans tend to be far stronger than normal Humans, and have thicker builds. Where an average Human male stands 6-feet tall and weighs 190 pounds, an average high-G human stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 260 pounds.

  Hiropt’s Disease: Neurological disorder caused by bacteria carried in the saliva of roundbugs, an indigenous species of Mining Colony Six. Symptoms include constant shaking, uncontrollable muscle spasms and overall weakness.