Hmm, one more thing. You said in a previous post that all the races would be in the same sector of the galaxy so that they would come into contact with one another.
That's actually not nescessary at all given that the mass relay network stretches across the entire galaxy and allows for almost instant travel from one end of the milky way to the other. (the quarian home system for instance is almost on the opposite side of the galaxy from council space yet they were in contact)
It is true the galaxy is vast but the network, while large, is alot more limited. I have no fear we'd not run into eachother.
1. Tell me how you found it and what you know. Like the last guy, I'm not going to allow you to know everything about reapers.
2. Depending on votes they will either stay or we go with the idea you came up with.
3. Thanks for the approval of the dice roll.
This list may not be in order so play some "match this"
The Kimo found a copy of liara's warnings (now known to them as 'the shepard') when they discovered a Turian military vessel on a world they intended to settle. Like it says in my nation sheet, those Turians survived the war and tried and failed to carve out a new existence somewhere.
The discovery heralded a golden age for the Kimo but it also brought with them the warning of the reapers.
Information from the Turian ship's databanks revealed what had happened to them, including a complete record of the Reaper war as experienced by the people onboard. They also found a copy of Liara's warning through which The Kimo learned of commander Shepard and his/her deeds up until the point where Liara made them. (Which was just before the battle of earth. And given that very few ships and even fewer ground troops made it back from that battle, the Turians onboard the ship they found had little knowledge of what exactly transpired there.) They also learned of the crucible and how to build it but given that liara had no idea what exactly it is or what it does, neither do the Kimo and like I said, actually building the thing would require too many resources and that is not something the Kimo government will put any effort into when they don't know what the thing will even do. They know that the citadel is the 'catalyst' and that it is a massive station that used to be the seat of all galactic government as well as a backdoor for the reapers (they know shepard's story afterall) but given that the reapers moved the thing to earth and god knows where else after that, they have no idea where to find it, nor do they have the intention of going to look for it since that might expose them to whatever else lurks in the darkness of space.
In short, the Kimo know everything Liara did prior to leaving for earth as well as what the Turians knew. they know about indoctrination, the existing reaper variants, husks, etc. They have alot of knowledge (but that doesn't mean that the reapers couldn't have come up with a few new tricks in the many centuries/millenia since the last cycle, *hint hint* ;p)
Also, and this is kind of a big thing. If this rp follows mass effect 2-3 logic the cycle comes every 50.000 years in which case the Kimo know when the reapers will come but if it follows Mass effect 1 logic, the reapers will come whenever they deem gamactic civilisation advanced enough to be harvested, in which case the Kimo's guess is as good as anyone's. (if you ask me, mass effect 1 logic is the better one since I believe that the 50.000 years limit is kind of dumb because there are absolutely no guarantees that sentient lifeforms will grow to the desired level somewhere in the galaxy within that arbitrary timeframe. It's also alot more interesting because it leaves everyone in the dark as to when the reapers arrive.)
Name of civilization: United Federation of Independent Star Systems (UFISS or AaROK in Hypassi, the predominant Kimo Language) Race: Kimo Description of race: The Kimo are short and stubby mammals (at only about a metre in height) compared to a human, they are physically weak, have poor environmental tolerance and a poor natural frame. They are however quite smart and cunning which makes them capable of some very impressive feats of engineering, science, economy, politics and tactics.
Their homeworld of Soto orbiting the star Sithar boasts a great variety of climates. Most are quite temperate and would have been highly suited for human habitation, unfortunately, Kimo evolved in a tropical environment where temperatures rarely dropped below 30°C and given their low environmental tolerances, they could not survive for long in such conditions. In fact, what a human would consider room temperature would actually cause hypothermia in a Kimo therefore, for most of their history, the Kimo species lived exclusively in the equatorial regions of their homeworld, only managing to colonise ‘colder’ regions very slowly. This made comfortable living space into one of their most treasured resources, sparking many armed conflicts.
It also forced the Kimo to be very environmentally minded, always developing clean technologies to preserve the delicate balance of their planet’s climate. As a result, the Kimo never developed nuclear technology and instead harnessed the power of the sun and wind. This combined with sustainable agriculture to feed their herbivory species and their natural tendency to require very little water makes them perhaps the sentient species with the smallest environmental (and perhaps also literal) footprint.
As Kimo populations grew and armed conflicts for living space became ever more prominent, a more peaceful initiative was launched by several nation states to colonise Tamo, one of Soto’s three large moons. It was the perfect candidate for such an initiative since Tamo possessed an atmosphere that could easily be terraformed by means of introduced plant species to allow for the construction of typical underground habitation complexes and farms above ground. These days, advanced ‘planetary maintenance’ facilities ensure that just about the entire moon is kept at a stable temperature, perfect for Kimo habitation, so that the people can live comfortably above ground without risk. In fact, conditions on the moon were often of better quality than most ‘cold’ colonies on Soto itself so more and more funding was allocated to colonise other bodies within their solar system leading to a veritable golden age of space exploration and relative peace since for the first time in Kimo history, living space was no longer scarce. The federation was first founded in those years to maintain this peace between the many nation states that had colonised other worlds and even the new independent nations that had developed in those places. Still, wars were fought but unlike the wars of the past, they were usually ended quickly and with relatively few deaths.
Over the centuries, even the many bodies of the Sithar system began to suffer from over population and so once again, the Kimo set out to find new horizons to explore and settle. Other solar systems were reached by means of conventional live-ships, lacking FTL drives and more and more worlds were settled. Until a tremendous find was made. An ancient ship was discovered on a deserted planet where Turian survivors of the reaper war (which lasted decades after Shepard’s death and the defeat on Earth) had tried and failed to build a new life.
That discovery ushered in yet another golden age of development for the Kimo but also made them incredibly scared of the unknown. A data file, the so called ‘Shepard’ found among the remains of the ancient colony carried a warning, now known to all Kimo. They are not alone and a terrible evil lurks in the black depths of space to swallow up any that dare rise too high.
The Federation was quick to seize upon this new fear and immediately began an intense militarisation campaign. The Turian ship’s FTL drives were reverse engineered, as were its on board weapons, chiefly, the Thanix cannons and this knowledge was used to build the largest fleet in the known galaxy with 72 dreadnaughts (almost twice the size of the Turian navy at the start of the reaper war, the 30 most modern of which are kept on active duty while the rest are either held in docking to await deployment in times of war or mothballed, though with the option of reactivation in emergency situations.
Their massive fleet and small but highly professional ground army allow the federation to create a great sense of security for the hundreds of worlds within their domain as well as keep them in line should any get thoughts of rebellion and true independence. It is the latter that is perhaps most necessary since Kimo expansion has been constant throughout their spacefaring history and their domain now encompasses hundreds of stars within their home cluster. Given Kimo nature, it would only be a matter of time before more established colonies would tear away and continue on their own without a strong hand to guide them, which in turn would leave all Kimo everywhere weakened for the time when the great evil rears its ugly head.
Now, after the discovery of the closest mass relay in what was once Batarian space, a long distance away from their home star, another frontier has opened for the Kimo, though they are slow to embrace it. Massive military bases were founded on either side of the relay and only military vessels are permitted to pass through and chart the rest of the relay network. Other sentient and spacefaring life forms have since been discovered but the federation has not yet made contact with them for fear of being forced into its first major galactic engagement that would no doubt weaken them in the face of the great evil.
Average lifespan of race: 85 Sithar years (100-110 solar years) Government of race: United Federation Federal Parliament (UFFP or ARRT in Hypassi) The Federation is a federal form of government where member worlds an nations are granted great independence in many matters such as their national laws and granted the protection of the massive Federation fleets in exchange for paying taxes to the Federation and supplying raw materials and knowledge for continued development. Each member state and world is allowed to send delegates to represent them in the Federation Parliament where they will have the right to vote on all matters concerning ‘the greater good’ such as interplanetary and inter system trade and military activity. This parliament gathers every Sithar year (roughly 1.2 solar years) and keeps a constant forum on ‘Tarotho Station’ orbiting the Kimo homeworld of Sota.
Military description: As a result of their long history of warring nations, the Kimo actually consider themselves a warrior race. Sadly Kimo soldiers would not last long in close quarters combat against most other species although assault rifles do tend to be powerful equalisers. Their land based forces are of a high professional standard but are frequently outmatched by stronger and faster species. After all, their land forces are mainly equipped and trained to deal with small (on a galactic scale) insurgencies and not to conduct high level operations on alien worlds.
It is their navy where the Kimo truly shine. As stated above, they have the largest navy in the known galaxy, boasting some of the most technologically advanced vessels around. Their race’s small size and physical weakness don’t matter much when in space and so they would prove a considerable challenge for any race with the desire to declare war on them. Although their lack of an effective ground force could prove difficult.
Important people/Ranks: Chairman Biko Ner Visato, the current elected chairman of the Federation parliament for three Sithar years. She presides over all parliament sessions as well as the continuous forum. High-Admiral Miso Go Diras, leader of the Federation navy and highest ranking Kimo military officer. He holds over-all fleet command. Admiral Siri Kil Kratha, leader of the Federation first fleet and High-Admiral Diras’ second in command. Councillor Miku Nob, federation representative for Maro, the single most powerful system in the Federation and supplier of most heavy navy ships as well as the location for half the navy’s ‘standby’ dreadnaughts. She represents her system’s government in the parliament. Councillor Baron Bistri Vas Doro Na Milaski, federation representative for Polthiro, one of the most powerful systems in the Federation. He represents his star system’s government in the parliament. Professor-doctor Kas Need, chief science advisor for the Federtion parliament and lead researcher of the Tsoni institute (named after the ancient author of the ‘Shepard’ warning) she leads all research projects concerning the great evil and the Shepard warning. General Basal Nom Dako Di Mos, commander in chief of the Federation army. He is in charge of all planetary military activity. Master-spy Hal Hel Hira, director of the Federation Intelligence Service. Despite the archaic title, her office is quite effective at monitoring all internal activity within the Federation domain.
Religion: The Kimo know a great variety of religious persuasions which are all allowed due to the federal laws for religious freedom of its member systems, provided they do not violate other federal laws. The most widely practised form is that of ‘the temple of Dido’ which believes in the so called ‘life force’ “Dido” that permeates the entire galaxy. Import: (internal given lack of outside contact) Export: (internal given lack of outside contact) Description of your society and race: (see above) Treaties: (no treaties with other species)
The Kimo military can be divided into two major and two minor pillars. Most important are the Federation navy and army since they form the first line of defence against any external threat and will act as the official intervention forces in the case of internal conflict. Secondary are the local security forces of the various federal worlds. Depending on the size of their population and economic value, federal systems are allowed their own defensive ground forces and basic navy with which they are allowed to defend and police their own assigned territory, provided they obey all Federal laws and regulations.
The United Federation Navy (UFN or ARM in Hypassi) is most valued of all Kimo military branches and serves mostly as a means to deter rebels while they do also take on pirate hunting duties. It is divided into five fleets, each with their assigned sector of Kimo space for which they are responsible and a sizeable force of dreadnaughts, cruisers, carriers and frigates at their disposal. Most notable are the Federation first fleet, guarding the core Kimo worlds and the Federation parliament itself and the fifth fleet, created specifically to guard and defend the two mass relays leading into the Federation home cluster.
The United Federation Army (UFA or ART in Hypassi) is a well organised and equipped fighting force but considered secondary to the navy in all regards. Unlike the navy, the army only has one body, based out of a series of highly mobile carrier ships. It is important to note that those vessels, while needing navy protection during their missions are considered part of the army and are therefore operated by army and not navy personnel. Likewise, the marines aboard navy vessels and garrisons of military outposts such as those guarding the mass relays are considered navy personnel even though they are armed and equipped in the same way as the army troops.
The Federation navy uses a variety of ships though at its core, their tactics are directly derived from those used by navies of the previous cycle, albeit with some adaptations of their own. Navy ship types are as follows:
Dreadnaughts: the largest of the Federation navy's vessels, ranging between 800 metres and one kilometre in length depending on the class. They are the most valuable tactical assets of the entire Kimo military. Like the dreadnaughts of the previous cycle, their strength lies in their massive ventral guns, running along 90% of the vessels length and capable of devastating firepower. Like all of the federation naval guns, they are based off the thanix cannons found aboard the ancient Turian vessel. They in turn were based off of reaper weaponry salvaged from the wreck of Sovereign. The Kimo have never ceased to improve on this original design and as a result most Federation dreadnaughts sport firepower equal to that of a reaper although their shields lack the strength to match. While dreadnaughts can deliver immense firepower to targets tens of thousands of kilometres away with good accuracy, they rely on smaller vessels to protect their flanks and rear.
Cruisers: are to be considered the workhorse of the Federation fleet and fulfil a great variety of roles, ranging from security patrols to screening the flanks of the mighty dreadnaughts. Cruisers are typically around 400 metres in length and posess a main ventral gun as well as secondary broadside armaments and point defence systems. Cruisers will typically engage their targets at ranges of a few thousand kilometres but will often close with an enemy in large scale engagements to provide cover for dreadnaughts firing from their rear.
Frigates: are the smallest class of navy vessel not considered a fighter and operate at close ranges of a few hundred kilometres to so called knife-fight ranges of ten kilometres or less. They are highly mobile and heavily armed for their size though quite vulnerable to enemy fire which is why they always operate in large groups known as wolfpacks (Kaparinoi in Hypassi). Specialised frigates also act as the eyes and ears of the fleet, scouting ahead in order to annalyse enemy formations and detect incomming attacks but also sneaking into hostile territory utilising stealth systems in order to sabotage or conduct raids against vulnerable targets. They are also the only class of combat ship in the Federation fleet that can reliably excecute planetary landings.
Drone Controler: The Kimo's acces to LaDef systems has made them well aware of the losses a fighter group would sustain in engagements with any threat larger than a frigate and so the decision was made to replace all frontline fighter craft with unmanned drones. During major battles, these swarms of drones would be commanded from within the carriers that launched them but in smaller engagements or those where the carriers would simply be too far away such as in fighter patrols this system would not work. Therefore, the Federation navy created a unique model of heavy fighter which they outfitted with the necesary systems to oversee a formation (also known as a 'wing' or 'Dacet' in Hypassi) of up to 50 drones. The Contoler itself is a large ship, for a fighter, with a crew of five. Because of its vital role in the drone formation, the craft itself is quite capable of defending itself when attacked. It sports three long range missile racks to deal with enemy fighters and two automated point defence auto-guns to target incomming missiles as well as a clever system of so called 'mimics', small drones that can be made to fly alongside the controller while projecting an identical sensor immage. This effectively makes it seem like there are more controlers than there actually are to any enemy not within visual range. Aditionally, the Controler's large size allows for the fitting of a substantal shield system (for a fighter) and a limited range FTL drive.
Drone fighter: both the Federation navy and army rely heavily on unmanned drones. As far as fighters are concerned, almost all craft of this class are drones. The Navy currently fields two basic types, the standard MkIII and the more specialised MkV. The MkIII is the mainstay of the Federation navy and makes up 90% of all its drone wings. It is a very versatile platform combining high speeds with considerable firepower. Each MkIII comes equiped with a single auto-cannon and four heavy weapon modules (these can be anti fighter missiles, anti ship torpedoes or aditional auto-cannons. In some rare cases, light Thanix cannons are installed, but given the cost of one such gun is more than that of the entire drone, such cases are rare indeed.) The MkV is the bigger brother of the MkIII and is therefor very similar in design and equipment. An MkV has two fixed auto-cannon and four heavy weapon pods offering the exact same combinations as the MkIII. Unlike its little brother however, the MkV has a limited range FTL drive which enables them to act as scouts and long range screens for a fleet when accompanied by a Drone Controler.
Fleet Carrier: Unlike the carriers used by the army, a fleet carrier's only purpose is to bring overwhelming numbers of drone fighters to the battlespace as well as to provide a launch platform and landingzone for the manned Drone Controlers. Fleet carriers are slightly larger than cruisers with the largest being roughly 500 metres in length but much unlike cruisers, they are completely lacking in armaments safe for defensive anti fighter missile banks and point defence systems. For this reason, carriers always stay back during any engament and use their drone fighters as their main armament. Depending on the class of carrier, each vessel can hold between 2 and 4 wings of 50 drones each as well as their Drone Controlers, often with aditional drones held in reserve to replenish active wings or defend the carrier in extreme circumstances.
The Federation Army is considered a highly mobile intervention force and is capable of rapidly deploying to any world within the Federation in case of alien attack or (more likely) civil insurgence. To complete their missions, the army has acces to some of the most high-tec equipment available:
Army Carriers: While similar in size and armaments to Fleet carriers, army carriers are fitted to carry troops and their equipment as well as facilitate their rapid deployment. Each can carry a full regiment of 2.000 troops as well as all their vehicles and supplies including dropships, mechs and combat drones. In addition, army carriers also posses two banks of Individual Troop low Orbit Drop Pods (ITOD pods or MITH Capa in Hypassi) which enables them to deploy a first wave of 100 infantry faster than any dropship can reach the surface to secure landing zones and eliminate light opposition.
MkVI Atmospheric Fighter Drone: While officially designated as a fighter, the MkVI is capable of several other roles as well, namely that of high altitude bomber, medium altidute reconaiscance plane and low altitude attack craft depending on what heavy weapon or untility pods it has equipped. As a standard, the MkVI comes equiped with two auto-cannons and four multi purpose pods that can hold everything from smartbombs to scattermissiles to various sensor modules. In addition, the MkVI is fitted for atmospheric re-entry and is therefore also rated for low orbital missions where it can act as a fighter defence for stations if need be.
High Altitude Recon Drone (HARD or MIFT in Hypassi): unlike most other Federation military drones, the HARD is completely unarmed. It does come equiped with a set of advanced anti-air and missile countermeasures as well as a highly advances suite of sensors which enable it to act as the eyes and ears of Army planners in orbit. It can be used to pinpoint the locations of enemy formations, asess troop strengths and even direct friendly forces, bombers or even orbital strikes against hostile targets.
MkII Multi-Purpose Lander: the Lander acts as the Federation Army's heavy transport and is capable of transporting heavy vehicles to and from orbiting carriers. It is crewed by two Kimo pilots and is unarmed safe for the standard issue countermeasures installed on all manned aircraft and the more expensive drones. It's cargo hold is modular and has four sections each capable of carrying either 1 heavy vehicle, 2 assault mechs or a unit of 16 troops.
MkVII High-Speed Insertion Vehicle: also known as the 'Infiltrator' or 'Mithano' in Hypassi. it is a small, lightweight and extremely fast dropship used for lightning insertions, often in area's where the heavier landers would prove too much of a target for ground fire. The Infiltrator is crewed by two Kimo pilots and is geared to carry either 1 heavy vehicle, 2 assault mechs or a unit of 16 troops.
MkXI Low Altitude Assault Gunship: the latest in a very long line of weapons platforms dating back to the earliest attack helicopters. The Federation Gunship is manned by two Kimo pilots and boasts considerable firepower and a very high speed. It is equipped with a heavy autocannon in a nose mounted turret as well as six racks of either seeker missiles, dumbfire rockets, incendiary bombs or even automatic grenade launchers.
MkI Low Altitude Assault Drone (LAAD or LICT in Hypassi: The first stage in a new project to create an unmanned platform capable of filling the gap between a light combat drone and a fully armed gunship. Needles to say, the LAAD lies somewhere in between. It can move across the battlefield at great speeds to engage with enemy forces quickly and carries a weapon compliment consisting of one light auto-cannon mounted in a turret and two racks of either seeker missiles, dumbfire rockets or incendiary bombs.
MkVII Light Aerial Combat Drone: Each unit of Kimo infantry usually has two of these light drones to aid them. They are very light hovering weapons platforms carrying a single light autocannon. Since they are virtually unarmoured, these units are only to be used in a supporting role, providing cover fire while the infantry unit deals with the enemy proper.
MkIV Light Aerial Recon Drone: These extremely light drones are mainly used to scout out enemy positions or patrol the area around locations. They are completely unshielded and armed only with a small two shot stungun. (which would be completely uneffective against anything larger than a Kimo unless the drones were to attack in a swarm)
MkV Heavy Assault Mech: The Assault Mech is more of a weapon of terror rather than a proper weapon of war. It stands at about 2 metres tall and comes equipped with a light auto-cannon and a 6 shot missile launcher. Its imposing presence (for a Kimo) makes up for its rather unwieldy bipedal design and turns the unit into an effective policing tool or show of force in any Kimo inhabited area. The assault mechs typically opperate in pairs or individually in support of an Infantry Unit.
MkVII Modular Combat Vehicle (MCV or HOE in Hypassi): The MCV is the Kimo army's pride and joy as well as their field technicians' greatest blessing. This Multi purpose Vehicle fulfils the Federation army's needs as an APC, Anti-air, Artillery, Assault Vehicle and even Battle tank all thanks to a simple yet effective system of detatchable modules. The base frame of the vehicle contains the powerplant that energises its kinetic barriers and the controls for the two Kimo pilots/drivers/operators and little else. The rest of the system is provided by detachable armour, propulsion, weapons and other functions which means that the vehicle can become a heavily armoured tracked tank, a fast repulsor driven assault vehicle or a well protected wheeled APC in a matter of hours depending on the tasks the vehicle will face. As an APC, the MCV can carry a unit of 16 troops and as an armoured combat vehicle it can carry anything ranging from heavy auto-cannon to assault guns to artillery and anti-air missiles and even a miniature Thanix cannon.
The Federation Infantry Unit: The backbone of the Federation army, this 16 troop unit represents the core of the Federation ground forces. Each Soldier is equiped with the standard issue Federation Battle Armour, a highly efficient suit that provides state of the art kinetic barriers above a layer of composite armour protection. In adition, each suit is enviromentally sealed, enabling the Federation infantry to opperate in conditions far too hostile for any other Kimo to exist in. The Battle-armour also comes with a medical stabilisation system which counteracts the effects of shock in the wearer in case of a suit breach. (The Kimo's frail biological frame would go into complete shock after a massive puncture like that created by a mass effect propelled round, resulting in death if not immediatly treated. (in other words, where a human would just scream in pain before continuing the fight, a Kimo would go into shock and die if it weren't for that system.)) A Unit exists of a commander, two support gunners, a combat technician, a medic and ten infantry troopers. All soldiers safe for the support gunners are armed with the standard issue MkXVI Assault rifle, a very trustworthy weapon bearing a striking resemblance to the Turian Phaeston upon which the design was based. It is a very powerful weapon given its size, made even more powerful by the addition of a built-in 21mm grenade launcher under the main barrel. The Support gunners are each equiped with MkII Light Machineguns, Multi-Purpose Shoulder-fired Missiles or long range anti materiel rifles.
The Kimo generally value the lives of their friends and allies greatly, a consequence of their very intimate society but likewise value the lives of their enemies very little. This philosophy is reflected in just about every aspect of Kimo military strategy. Many roles that are considered to be highly dangerous are filled by drones or mechs and no military unit will be deployed alone without others to back it up. An infantry unit will always have at least a pair of light drones to assist and cover them and fleet recon groups always act in groups of three or more frigates, just to name a few examples. Globally, the Kimo favour overwhelming force in all their operations and would rather deploy far too many units than risk losing one. This is especially true for fleet tactics which will often favour a tactical retreat over a risky engagement. In practice, this often makes the Kimo rather slow to engage in a fight but will always ensure they bring enough firepower to obliterate the opposition when they do commit. Reconnaissance and military intelligence play a huge part in Kimo tactics as well, since it is well known that an unprepared army will lose far more troops and material than one that has done its homework. Therefore, the Kimo place great value on their intelligence gathering assets such as stealth frigates, probes and recon drones. Before any assault, a Kimo commander will always seek to cripple their opponents by sabotage, distractions and/or raids.
Wow, I didn't check the site for a few days and stuff's kicked into gear! That's good, very good.
I'll be checking in daily or once every two days depending on how busy I get from now on.
Anyway, to adress a few points.
I'm ok with a system of die rolls to determine combat though it has to be fair.
But I'm not quite sure I like having all the old races there as well. Perhaps a few that managed to survive would work.
The Asari or the Krogan would probably be the most likely to survive since Asari can reproduce with partners from every other race as well as themselves and the krogan because they reproduce like crazy and can get their numbers back up really fast after a major crisis nearly wipes them out. (though admitedly that would only work if in this cannon the genophage was cured.) The others wouldn't stand that much of a chance with perhaps the humans being the exeption (we're basically space orks after all ;p)
One last thing I would like to add is that my race (the Kimo) know about the reapers from evidence they've gathered after finding one of Liara's warnings aboard an ancient Turian ship and are taking the threat they pose very seriously. This means they also have the plans for the crucible though they have no intentions of building it since it would absorb huge amounts of resources and not serve any clear purpose (since even liara didn't know what that thing does)
Now this doesn't mean that my people are all powerful reaper killers that have all the evidence and answers. They don't. In fact, they have only really used those warnings to effectively support their intense militarisation on the field of public opinion. To put it plainly, the reapers are boogiemen to the Kimo, serving only to scare the people into allowing the central government to have massive fleets which they use to keep the various systems in line.
having said all this, I'm still very much looking forward to starting.