WE HAVE ALL BEEN LED ASTRAY
Sci-fi│Warfare│Space Opera│Unrealistic Physics│Mecha│Cyberpunk
SEEK THE TRUTH
The Path to the Present Ω
Humanity is spread across the Orion Arm of the Milky Way. Nearly two-hundred settlements; from planets, moons, and artificial structures, dot themselves outward from the Solar System. Across the vastness of space, human culture is varied, albeit not to the point of balkanization—humankind as a whole yet remains one singular species, united with the core spirit that brought them to the stars so many centuries ago. This distinct link in identity is made possible by the extensive use of Titan Gates throughout occupied space, which allow instantaneous communication and transportation across the void.
But this common thread has been put the test.
Slowly and steadily, as the reach of man spread farther and farther into the galaxy, society found itself polarizing into institutions not seen since humans could only dream of flight. A nobility formed, and with it, the aristocracy. The gap between upper and lower class widened incrementally, yet ceaselessly. Peace reigned for centuries, as the proletariat was placated by the skillful hands of those in power. When at last the top-heavy government coalesced beneath the first Emperor, and the coming of the Orion Empire, the seeds of unrest finally began to germinate.
The seal of the Orion Empire
Colonies and worlds far from the Emperor’s throne are the first to bring their disdain of the status quo to bear. Small protests evolve into local uprisings. Governmental establishments in the Rim are attacked, and the lords tasked with governance of these worlds likewise fall in the crosshairs. The Emperor’s grip on the outer worlds wanes, allowing hope in the minds of the dissidents that revolution is the true means for change. With this hope deepening, a true rebellion forms under the banner of the Nym Separatists.
The crest of the Nym Separatists
The First Tyranny War begins. Spurred on by the hope of a new order and opportunity, billions flock to the cause of the Nym Separatists. This sudden societal shift initially leaves the nobility of the Orion Empire reeling. Separatist forces take key outer rim worlds and economic hubs, pushing back imperial influence. However, the Orion Empire rallies, coalescing its mightier economic resources. For a decade the two sides battle for control of human space, with little progress being made and kept by either entity.
Weary of war, the tide of opinions in both the imperial and separatists’ populations turn to peace. The leaders of both factions summit, and divide the galaxy—the newly minted Nym Republic holds the worlds on the rim, while the Orion Empire maintains the lion’s share of planets towards the core of the Solar System. It is a shaky, but definitive accord. Many hardliners, on both sides of the conflict, decry the compromise, demanding the war be continued until true victory is achieved. Yet, these individuals are few in number, and silenced quickly by the winds of public desire.
Almost a century later, the peace is shattered.
Terrorists associated with an extreme sect of separatists, known as Red Oath, gain access to both the orbital and ground defense mainframes of Earth. In a veritable coup de main of cyber-warfare, the terrorists unleash the full contingent of nuclear based weaponry in the entire arsenal upon the human homeworld. All life is obliterated in fire, with billions perishing in the most deadly single act in the whole of human existence. Nothing is left but a barren wasteland of radioactive rock.
Eighteen hours following the catastrophic attack, the Emperor declares war upon the Nym Republic.
It is now just shy of a month since Earthfall. All-out war is waging across humanity's reaches. Of all the billions of military personnel, one small unit is tasked with carrying the Emperor’s deadly vengeance to the throat of the perpetrators. To the Orion Special Operations Command, this group of unique operators are designated as the 75th Clandestine Activities Group. To those who fear and respect them, they are simply known as the 7-5.
But this common thread has been put the test.
Slowly and steadily, as the reach of man spread farther and farther into the galaxy, society found itself polarizing into institutions not seen since humans could only dream of flight. A nobility formed, and with it, the aristocracy. The gap between upper and lower class widened incrementally, yet ceaselessly. Peace reigned for centuries, as the proletariat was placated by the skillful hands of those in power. When at last the top-heavy government coalesced beneath the first Emperor, and the coming of the Orion Empire, the seeds of unrest finally began to germinate.
The seal of the Orion Empire
Colonies and worlds far from the Emperor’s throne are the first to bring their disdain of the status quo to bear. Small protests evolve into local uprisings. Governmental establishments in the Rim are attacked, and the lords tasked with governance of these worlds likewise fall in the crosshairs. The Emperor’s grip on the outer worlds wanes, allowing hope in the minds of the dissidents that revolution is the true means for change. With this hope deepening, a true rebellion forms under the banner of the Nym Separatists.
The crest of the Nym Separatists
The First Tyranny War begins. Spurred on by the hope of a new order and opportunity, billions flock to the cause of the Nym Separatists. This sudden societal shift initially leaves the nobility of the Orion Empire reeling. Separatist forces take key outer rim worlds and economic hubs, pushing back imperial influence. However, the Orion Empire rallies, coalescing its mightier economic resources. For a decade the two sides battle for control of human space, with little progress being made and kept by either entity.
Weary of war, the tide of opinions in both the imperial and separatists’ populations turn to peace. The leaders of both factions summit, and divide the galaxy—the newly minted Nym Republic holds the worlds on the rim, while the Orion Empire maintains the lion’s share of planets towards the core of the Solar System. It is a shaky, but definitive accord. Many hardliners, on both sides of the conflict, decry the compromise, demanding the war be continued until true victory is achieved. Yet, these individuals are few in number, and silenced quickly by the winds of public desire.
Almost a century later, the peace is shattered.
Terrorists associated with an extreme sect of separatists, known as Red Oath, gain access to both the orbital and ground defense mainframes of Earth. In a veritable coup de main of cyber-warfare, the terrorists unleash the full contingent of nuclear based weaponry in the entire arsenal upon the human homeworld. All life is obliterated in fire, with billions perishing in the most deadly single act in the whole of human existence. Nothing is left but a barren wasteland of radioactive rock.
Eighteen hours following the catastrophic attack, the Emperor declares war upon the Nym Republic.
It is now just shy of a month since Earthfall. All-out war is waging across humanity's reaches. Of all the billions of military personnel, one small unit is tasked with carrying the Emperor’s deadly vengeance to the throat of the perpetrators. To the Orion Special Operations Command, this group of unique operators are designated as the 75th Clandestine Activities Group. To those who fear and respect them, they are simply known as the 7-5.
Society in the Orion Arm Ω
[x]The Nobility
Daily life in the expanse of human space is widely varied from world to world. Yet, even with the cultural diversity inherent in across lightyears of space, society still maintains a common fabric that dates back from the united Earth government which spurned the first colonization into the Solar System, and beyond. This fabric’s integrity is maintained with the use of Titan Gates, massive, intricate structures, which allow instantaneous transportation and communication between regions, no matter their relative distance.
This ability to interact and travel so easily has allowed the resurgence of the nobility into the social construct. Status and position has once more become a distinct part of human existence. It is a hierarchy almost as old as humanity itself, with wealthy gentry maintaining the pinnacle of the societal ladder.
For those of the nobility, life is uniquely similar to that of Victorian England, with governance of individual sects of space being given to various lords at the grace of the Emperor. Title and privilege follow the tradition of hereditary right, and one’s bloodline and familial ties are as important and conspicuous as any other social aspect. This is especially true for the upper nobility, which keeps court with the Emperor himself.
Upward mobility from one class to another is difficult; almost impossibly so in the case of becoming a noble. The most likely scenario for achieving such a jump in status from the lower classes is through exemplary military service. When in the service of the Emperor, if an individual is shown to exemplify the virtues of the Orion Empire, has willfully, honorably, and bravely subjected themselves to some extreme trial in the name of His Majesty, then he or she holds the chance of being knighted.
Once this title is bestowed, an Imperial Knight is granted a unit of property (always smaller than that of a lord of the realm), and they are given a post as a commander over an Imperial military unit or similar contingent. This title, like the upper and lower nobility, is hereditary. Only through extreme scandal or traitorous activity can this title be removed by the Emperor.
The knighting of individuals within the realm is a rare occurrence, though it still remains the most likely avenue for movement upwards in the class system.
Daily life in the expanse of human space is widely varied from world to world. Yet, even with the cultural diversity inherent in across lightyears of space, society still maintains a common fabric that dates back from the united Earth government which spurned the first colonization into the Solar System, and beyond. This fabric’s integrity is maintained with the use of Titan Gates, massive, intricate structures, which allow instantaneous transportation and communication between regions, no matter their relative distance.
This ability to interact and travel so easily has allowed the resurgence of the nobility into the social construct. Status and position has once more become a distinct part of human existence. It is a hierarchy almost as old as humanity itself, with wealthy gentry maintaining the pinnacle of the societal ladder.
The Emperor
│
Upper Nobility
│
Lower Nobility
│
Bureaucrats
│
Imperial Knights
│
Merchants/Business Owners
│
Tradesmen/Laborers
│
Peasant Classes
│
Upper Nobility
│
Lower Nobility
│
Bureaucrats
│
Imperial Knights
│
Merchants/Business Owners
│
Tradesmen/Laborers
│
Peasant Classes
For those of the nobility, life is uniquely similar to that of Victorian England, with governance of individual sects of space being given to various lords at the grace of the Emperor. Title and privilege follow the tradition of hereditary right, and one’s bloodline and familial ties are as important and conspicuous as any other social aspect. This is especially true for the upper nobility, which keeps court with the Emperor himself.
Upward mobility from one class to another is difficult; almost impossibly so in the case of becoming a noble. The most likely scenario for achieving such a jump in status from the lower classes is through exemplary military service. When in the service of the Emperor, if an individual is shown to exemplify the virtues of the Orion Empire, has willfully, honorably, and bravely subjected themselves to some extreme trial in the name of His Majesty, then he or she holds the chance of being knighted.
Once this title is bestowed, an Imperial Knight is granted a unit of property (always smaller than that of a lord of the realm), and they are given a post as a commander over an Imperial military unit or similar contingent. This title, like the upper and lower nobility, is hereditary. Only through extreme scandal or traitorous activity can this title be removed by the Emperor.
The knighting of individuals within the realm is a rare occurrence, though it still remains the most likely avenue for movement upwards in the class system.
[x]The Commoners
Life in the lower classes has been an almost primal prospect since the very inception of the Empire. Those that count themselves in the peasant class far outnumber their middle and upper class peers. At the bottom of the ladder, cultures meld and collide; language, art, crime, vice, and tradition, all blend in strange and uncommon ways. Gangs and factions based around often ancient and perverted systems form a secondary government in the slums of the realm. Vast cities and space colonies are filled with slum lords, hitmen, pimps, dope slingers, weapons merchants, slave traffickers, and enforcers of infinite number.
While languages and customs vary the most in this portion of society, most people that find themselves regardless of class speak at least two languages; the language associated with their heritage/location or status, and Ori, also known as Low Tongue. Ori is the language that glues all of the human population together. It is spoken throughout the Orion Empire, and it is even the primary language of the Nym Republic. Most nobles likewise speak Ori, though this is a language usually reserved for conversing with the under classes that serve them. The language specifically reserved for nobility is called Jovi.
Life in the lower classes has been an almost primal prospect since the very inception of the Empire. Those that count themselves in the peasant class far outnumber their middle and upper class peers. At the bottom of the ladder, cultures meld and collide; language, art, crime, vice, and tradition, all blend in strange and uncommon ways. Gangs and factions based around often ancient and perverted systems form a secondary government in the slums of the realm. Vast cities and space colonies are filled with slum lords, hitmen, pimps, dope slingers, weapons merchants, slave traffickers, and enforcers of infinite number.
While languages and customs vary the most in this portion of society, most people that find themselves regardless of class speak at least two languages; the language associated with their heritage/location or status, and Ori, also known as Low Tongue. Ori is the language that glues all of the human population together. It is spoken throughout the Orion Empire, and it is even the primary language of the Nym Republic. Most nobles likewise speak Ori, though this is a language usually reserved for conversing with the under classes that serve them. The language specifically reserved for nobility is called Jovi.
[x]Technology in Society
Every aspect of a person’s life in the modern era is intricately twined with technology. Even the most basic devices contain enough computing power to be self-aware, and powering these devices takes little more than the electrical energy produced by the human metabolic system. From birth, even amongst the lowest classes, implants are installed in the body that aid and regulate normal functions and allow the easy interfacing of medical tech.
It is also through these implants that the Orion Empire tracks its population.
Beyond the basic implants, elective cybernetic modification is rampant. It is a true rarity to find an individual without a wide array of technological improvements, be they conspicuous or otherwise to the casual eye. These modifications run the gambit, from job specific enhancements, to leisure related, and everything in between. Not to mention all the modifications available and required for military service.
The only portion of the population where the occurrence of implanted/integrated tech is less commonplace is among the nobility. Here, cybernetics are being replaced more and more by advanced biotech. Genetic modification and splicing is requires more precision and expertise, and thusly is vastly more expensive than cybernetic equivalents.
Every aspect of a person’s life in the modern era is intricately twined with technology. Even the most basic devices contain enough computing power to be self-aware, and powering these devices takes little more than the electrical energy produced by the human metabolic system. From birth, even amongst the lowest classes, implants are installed in the body that aid and regulate normal functions and allow the easy interfacing of medical tech.
It is also through these implants that the Orion Empire tracks its population.
Beyond the basic implants, elective cybernetic modification is rampant. It is a true rarity to find an individual without a wide array of technological improvements, be they conspicuous or otherwise to the casual eye. These modifications run the gambit, from job specific enhancements, to leisure related, and everything in between. Not to mention all the modifications available and required for military service.
The only portion of the population where the occurrence of implanted/integrated tech is less commonplace is among the nobility. Here, cybernetics are being replaced more and more by advanced biotech. Genetic modification and splicing is requires more precision and expertise, and thusly is vastly more expensive than cybernetic equivalents.
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