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{{Navbox Lore}}
== Skrell on Ouerea ==
The Skrell are not inexperienced when it comes to settling on the worlds of other species, having spread themselves out across Human space soon after they made first contact with Humanity. Settling on Ouerea came with its own set of unique issues though, and combined with a tumultuous history it has culminated in a subsection of [[Skrell]] who are culturally distinct from most of its species.
{{Navbox Skrell Lore}}
{{Navbox Skrell Lore}}
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=== History===
=Nralakk Federation Enforcement=
Shortly after the Nralakk Federation’s First Contact with the Izweski Hegemony in 2403, the two nations would create a unilateral colonial assistance agreement revolving around the Unathi colony Ouerea. The agreement resulted in the creation of a Federation agency called the Ouerea Colonial Mission (OCM), issued a mandate by the Grand Council to provide guidance to the nascent Hegemony in the construction of planetary colonies by providing resources, experienced colonists, and a wealth of technical knowledge to apply in the development of Ouerea to a point of self-sufficiency from their Skrell benefactors.
The Nralakk Federation’s ''Enforcers'', or '''Kala''', are responsible for upholding the security and law of skrell space. Functioning under a centralised structure, the Kala are governed by a supervisory body known as the '''Nralakk Federation Security Commission (NFSC)'''. The NFSC’s doctrines revolve around mobility, flexibility and precision. Presently, the Kala maintains two core objectives: firstly, ensuring the safety, security and cooperation of all systems under the Federation flag, and protecting their borders; secondly, protecting the national security of the Federation from foreign nations and groups, as well as proactively gathering intelligence on both their allies and their adversaries.


==History==
The Federation’s enthusiasm to assume a guiding role for their fellow sophonts in the Spur encouraged the Grand Council to ensure the success of the OCM, which would serve as a blueprint for further cooperative agreements with other interstellar nations. The OCM was the responsibility of the Ouerean Colonial Oversight Board (OOCB), an extraordinary body directly subservient to the Grand Council, and led by Quvs. skrzridsipo, a renowned logistical and agricultural academic with a long career in leading Skrell colonial efforts in the Traverse region. Initially, Skrzridsipo was issued a small Kala detachment for security purposes, alongside various teams of Skrell academics who would teach their expert knowledge to the Unathi colonists. This small group of Skrell colonists, often called the First Wave in reference to the Federation’s own stages of stellar expansion, remained insulated from the general populace of Ouerea, living in their own compounds and only interacting with select Unathi colonists selected by the Hegemony.  
The origins of the centralised skrell security community begins at the conclusion of the War of Tides, and subsequent formation of the Commonwealth of Three in 901 CE. The Tzqul Republic, Heshqu Council and Weishqi Republic, who had previously all handled their own internal affairs, created the '''Commonwealth Internal Security Committee (CISC)''' as an international policing and intelligence agency. The national rivalries within the CISC laid the foundation for significant inefficiencies and failures in its short history, leading to uncontainable conflicts in the newly established outer colonies. With the formation of the First Nralakk Federation in 878 CE, the Grand Councillor engaged in widespread purges of the CISC, and reformed the organisation into a force of separate Kala, loyal to the Grand Council.


The reign of [[Skrell_Synthetic_Age#Late_Synthetic_Age|Glorsh-Omega]] led to the gradual disbandment of the existing Kala in favour of automated security drones under the AI’s direct control, with skrell collaborators not placed in enforcement positions due to their inefficiencies in engaging with Glorsh’s esoteric risk assessment programmes. Following the Tri-Qyu Calamity in 2192 CE, and the formation of the Second Nralakk Federation in 2245 CE, the new federal government recruited the Lyukal cells deemed most disciplined and loyal to Federation ideals, forming a new security and intelligence organisation to aid in the reformation of the now fractured skrell space, and train new generations of Kala to make up this organisation. Among the first duties of these proto-Kala was to reestablish societal order in the [[Notable_Skrell_Systems_and_Locations#The_Core_System_:_Nralakk|Core Systems]], enforce the recent blanket ban on all forms of artificial intelligence, and rebuild the Federation’s immense surveillance network.
The outbreak of the Contact War rapidly altered this dynamic, and is considered a turning point in Ouerea’s history. The Federation responded by offering wholehearted vocal support for the Hegemony, and pledged to use the OCM to assume temporary custodianship of Ouerea, alongside the Sol Alliance, until the situation on Moghes had stabilised. Allowing the humans and megacorporate assets on Ouerea to be governed by Sol, the OCM received Kala reinforcements to ensure order was maintained on the colony, including the formation of a Qukala task force to combat potential piracy in orbit. The Ouerean Unathi were uniquely welcoming of Federal administration due to their dislike of the feudal system, which was further confirmed by the OOCB’s decision to create a democratic government system on Ouerea, which they deemed as necessary for the colony to sustain itself. This period in Ouerean history is characterised by the increasing interactions between the once divided Skrell and Unathi, which once free of the feudal system, began to form a unified Ouerean culture. The arrival of the Second Wave of colonists, mostly consisting of labourers from the Traverse region, caused further syncretism on the colony, with several Skrell-majority settlements having been formed during the War.  


The rapid recovery of the Federation meant that the existing, decentralised Kala structure became bloated and inefficient with the ever-expanding Federation frontier. Grand Councillor [[Notable_Skrell#Rixa_Tep-Wul|Rixa Teq-Wul]] reorganised the Kala under two new agencies, the '''Directories of Internal and External Security''', which would operate independently of one another and report directly to the Grand Councillor. Additionally, the '''Wukala''' were created from the ranks of the most loyal Kala as political operatives protecting Federation ideals. Ultimately, this led to the two agencies competing with one another for prominence and funding, sabotaging the other’s reputation through a number of covert actions throughout the early 2400s, with some prominent anti-Federation individuals claiming that [[Federation_Crime_and_Resistance#Marauders|Marauder]] groups were funded to fuel this rivalry. The election of Grand Councillor [[Notable_Skrell#Weashbi_Jrugl|Weashbi Jrugl]] in 2453 came with the formation of an oversight organisation to unify the security services, the '''Nralakk Federation Security Commission (NFSC)''', which was staffed with the Grand Councillor’s allies, though the Wukala would remain independent of the Commission and retain their autonomy due to the influence of the High Prefect.
=== Life and Culture ===
The [[Skrell]] of Ouerea today are in much the same situation as they were before the [[Izweski Nation|Hegemony]] took back control of the planet, and in similar situations seen by [[Skrell]] living abroad elsewhere in the Spur. Despite an individual Unathi's thoughts on the species, [[Skrell]] are in high demand for their knowledge and skills, and it is common to see [[Skrell]] in higher positions in most fields. [[Skrell]] in teaching positions are also common, although for the most part they are not tied into the local education system in an official capacity and are usually hired on by guildsmen for their workplace instead. This has given the [[Skrell]] a certain amount of respect by the other species, with the common thought being that if a Skrell is in your workplace, you know that you are in good hands. This said, [[Skrell]] still face a large amount of discrimination in Ouerean society as some Unathi feel as though they have been cheated out of better opportunities. Even with Ouerea's emphasized importance on equality, the Unathi still struggle when it comes to how they treat non-Unathi. This has translated to many senior positions being held by Unathi, while [[Skrell]] are relegated to positions that hold no authority over their peers.  


In recent history, the prominence of the Kala has only grown as domestic and foreign troubles led to their expanding powers and political relevance. Within the Traverse region, the problematic handling of the Kala created many critics of Grand Councillor Jrugl’s security policies amongst the rank-and-file Kala, though officials in the Directories are hesitant to report this dissidence for fear of being punished themselves. Both the phoron scarcity, and the recent foreign policy changes by the Grand Council, have also created some dissent within the Kala, who disapprove immensely of overreliance on the megacorporations. However, High Prefect Eluteluk has remained publicly supportive of their Grand Councillor, dissuading any serious protest within the Federation’s security apparatus.
Outside of work, [[Skrell]] see more of the egalitarianism that Ouerea embraces. Communities are rarely fully segregated, with the only real exception being '''Xrqii-Zek'Qlip''' due to its environment being unsuitable for Unathi. Even here, however, the [[Skrell]] population has issues fully assimilating; the cultural differences between Unathi and [[Skrell]] have made life in mixed areas difficult, and it can be a challenge for the two species to interact without it being abrasive. This isn't to say that tensions are high between the species, but it has made the existence of "Skrell Quarters" or "Little Qerrbalak's" common in the larger cities such as New Skalamar as [[Skrell]] choose to live mostly alongside other Skrell where possible.


==Nralakk Federation Security Commission==
[[Skrell]] culture and attitudes have changed as a result of mingling with the Unathi and Human populations on Ouerea, particularly views related to individuality. Just as how Ouerean Unathi have placed more importance on the individual rather than the clan you belong to, Skrell on Ouerea have begun to emphasise the importance of individual [[Skrell]] rather than focusing on the group as a whole. While by no means completely removing the importance of community, or making the species unable to see the importance of sticking together as a minority on an alien planet, the definition of a group and community for Ouerean [[Skrell]] is much smaller than that of a [[Skrell]] from the [[Nralakk Federation|Federation]]; while [[Skrell]] in the [[Nralakk Federation|Federation]] are more willing to see themselves part of a greater whole, that "greater whole" for a [[Skrell]] on Ouerea may not extend much further than their town or city. Other Unathi ideas have also influenced the [[Skrell]] living here, particularly those related to loyalty and honour which match well with pre-existing views. These ideas can be seen the most in younger [[Skrell]], either those who fled the [[Nralakk Federation|Federation]] for already having similar views or those who were born on Ouerea. Non-mainstream Skrellian beliefs have seen popularity on Ouerea as well, with [[Skrell Faith|Suur'ka]] being seen as a necessity for a physically weaker and minority species living alongside Unathi. The Suur'ka ideology followed on Ouerea is not unified but still follows the main tenets of Suur'ka and its connected Sqai'Laaq martial art: the mental and physical honing of oneself, self-reliance, and independence. [[Skrell Faith|Suur'ka's]] tenet of independence is particularly popular with [[Skrell]], especially those who took part in the rebellion and is often brought up as a point when the topic of Ouerea's role in the [[Izweski Nation|Hegemony]] is mentioned.
The Nralakk Federation Security Commission serves as the umbrella organisation containing the myriad of different security and intelligence agencies. The Commission, and by extension the entirety of the Nralakk Federation’s vast security apparatus, is chaired by the Grand Councillor, although they will appoint a Commissioner to oversee the daily operations of the organisation in their place. To be the Commissioner of the NFSC is one of the highest honours a skrell can achieve, acting as the trusted hand of their Grand Councillor. Commissioners almost always veterans across a broad range of security and intelligence fields and afforded Idol status, they are also given a position on the Grand Council as the Grand Advisor of Security and Intelligence.  


The Commission is composed of the Grand Councillor, the Commissioner, the Directors of Internal and External Security, select Grand Council Enforcers, and other intelligence and security experts from various sectors. The current Commissioner is '''Tariqale'miluz Odakizu''', a well-known academic and lecturer in Federation security and law, with an extensive background experience as the Executive Director of External Security during first contact with humanity.
The majority of [[Skrell]] on the planet would be considered subversives back in the [[Nralakk Federation|Federation]] even before this cultural shift thanks to those staying mostly being Skrell who were either outcasts in [[Nralakk Federation|Federation]] society, criminals, or otherwise not ideal citizens. The mix of Skrell from all backgrounds, regardless of ideology or subculture, has allowed the proliferation of [[Skrell]] ideas that is unprecedented elsewhere save for perhaps the Republic of Biesel. With their status as [[Izweski Nation|Hegemony]] subjects and the lack of formal agreements between the [[Izweski Nation|Hegemony]] and [[Nralakk Federation|Federation]], Ouerea continues to be a destination for those willing to flee [[Nralakk Federation|Federation]] space - albeit one that is considerably less popular than fleeing to the [[Coalition of Colonies]] or joining the [[Tau Ceti Foreign Legion]].  


===Council Enforcers===
There is still a small group Skrell who are still pro-Federation, however, made up of those who did not wish to leave Ouerea for one reason or another, and are who make up the majority of non-Unathi supporters of the Restorationists political movement. Ironically, this group of Skrell are considered outcasts by the greater Skrell community on Ouerea, seeing their pro-Federation, conformist beliefs as precisely what the idea of Ouerea is against. Their support for an authoritarian nation such as the [[Nralakk Federation|Federation]] is compared to the [[Izweski Nation|Izweski Hegemony]], and are widely shunned by both Skrell and Unathi alike as a result. Pro-Federation Skrell on Ouerea do not last long, either finally giving in and adopting the wider culture held by Skrell on the planet or giving up and moving back to the [[Nralakk Federation|Federation]].
[[File:Srom.PNG|thumb|right|200px|The emblem of the Council Enforcers.]]
Independent of the Nralakk Federation’s security community, the '''Wuqrnjeqkala''', shortened to '''Wukala''' (and translating to Council Enforcers), are planetary council-appointed Kala who enforce disciplinary action at the discretion of the councillors they are assigned to. While being a Wukala member is a prestigious position which grants Index rating bonuses, Idol status is never awarded out of an interest in keeping the operatives relatively anonymous. Wukala operatives focus on domestic crime and suppression of anti-Federation actions, and are granted access to the Federation's internal surveillance systems to oversee their assigned region. The Qekala work closely with Wukala intelligence to enforce the law, with direct responses from the Wukala only appearing in the event that immediate detainment or capture is necessary, particularly when their persons-of-interest attempt to flee the planet, or evade sentencing and/or reeducation. Unlike those of the inner systems, the Wukala of the Traverse’s planetary councils are appointed by the Qu’Wukala instead of their respective planetary councillor, and are given a wider licence than their inner system counterparts to ensure the loyalty of their ward. This allows the Traverser Wukala full control of the security apparatus in their planetary council, which is most often exercised in the form of combatting infiltration by anti-Federation elements, and ensuring corruption is kept to a minimum. Due to their important role, and the danger a subversive Wukala could possess, Traverser Wukala are always loyalty implanted.
 
====Grand Council Enforcers====
The '''Qu'Wuqrnjeqkala''', shortened to '''Qu’Wukala''' (and translating to Grand Council Enforcers), are the personal agents of the Grand Councilor and the Grand Council's highest members. Qu'Wukala operatives are tasked with providing the security details for their assigned wards, council members, protection of the Nralakk Federation's secure assets, and the completion of any requested tasks from the Grand Council itself. Unlike their sibling Kala, operatives of the Qu'Wukala are allowed their Idol statuses, and are touted alongside their wards as being among the highest echelons of the Federation. Rumors of the Qu'Wukala being utilised as assassins, rather than their official role as intelligence agents and bodyguards, are dismissed as overtly ridiculous conspiracy theories. The leader of both the Qu’Wukala, and to an extent, all planetary Wukala, is High Prefect Eluteluk Dozopil-Raqirztzlip, who has held their position long before Grand Councillor Weashbi Jrugl’s ascension. Thanks to the great power held by the Qu’Wukala, the High Prefect is rumoured by many in [[Starlight_Zone|Biesel’s]] resistance circles to be the puppetmaster of the young and relatively inexperienced Jrugl to control the entire nation, and uses their enforcers to ensure their position is secured.
 
===Directory of Internal Security===
The Nralakk Federation’s vast networks of surveillance networks and enforcers are controlled by the '''Directory of Internal Security (NFDIS)''', which is one of the largest organs of the government. Due to the substantial size of the Federation’s domestic security operations, the NFDIS is divided into planetary administrative divisions called Districts, which have a vast amount of autonomy from the NFDIS itself, instead receiving their directives from their respective planetary council. Below that, the number of divisions and their sizes is dependent on the given planet’s proximity to the Nralakk system, but the universal base unit is a Station, which contains the necessary facilities to oversee the entire security of a rural region or city. Within these stations are multiple agents An agent monitoring domestic intelligence is called a Nlomkala, or Wake Enforcer; an agent monitoring the Srom is called a Sromkala, or Dream Enforcer; and an agent performing security and policing duties is called a Qekala, or Home Enforcer. The DIS is currently led by Executive Director '''Gelqai'nelusa Iqo'ujin''', the former District Inspector of Qerrbalak, and a veteran in the internal security apparatus known for their integrity and numerous successful anti-corruption campaigns within the Kala.
 
====Domestic Surveillance====
[[File:Ruup.PNG|thumb|right|200px|The emblem of the Wake and Dream Enforcers.]]
The Nlomkala are the eyes and ears of the Federation are found at every level of society, to the point of being (erroneously) remarked by non-Federation citizens that every electronic appliance is outfitted with hidden cameras feeding directly to the Nlomkala. In reality, the pervasive surveillance in the Federation is an open, accepted part of life to feed information to the Social Compatibility Index, and ensure the Federation’s economy continues to operate. This vast network is overseen by '''Nlomkala''', or Wake Enforcers. The sheer scale of the Nlomkala’s operations makes them one of the largest employment sectors in the nation, with C’thur vaurca and dionae employed in high level positions alongside skrell. The '''Sromkala''', or Dream Enforcers, are a specialized division of the Nlomkala with [[Skrell#Psionics|high psionic aptitude], with agents placed close to Nlom Relays in order to amplify their capabilities to monitor the Wake. A common belief is that every Nlom Relay in the Federation contains at least one Sromkala agent within a cryogenic pod to suspend their body, while still allowing their consciousness to continue working within Srom.
 
====Law Enforcement====
[[File:Nlom.PNG|thumb|right|200px|The emblem of the Wake and Dream Enforcers.]]
The Qekala are the fist of the Federation’s security apparatus in skrell space. Only a fourth of the NFDIS is made up of Qekala operatives, who are responsible for general policework. The Qekala’s regular operations include regular patroles, providing security presence, warrant execution, emergency response, and have a significant portion of its staff dedicated towards intelligence and surveillance. Aspiring Qekala members are placed under rigorous scrutiny, testing athletic ability, legal knowledge, and general capability to respond with correct force and procedure. Qekala members are expected to operate amphibiously across multiple environments across the myriad environments in the Nralakk Federation. Non-skrell members, like the C’thur warriors of Vytel’s Brood, are employed in limited numbers for vaurca-majority regions. These Warriors are implanted with a loyalty implant, which equalises the Federation's orders to the same priority as a Queen's, with conflict of interests forcing a warrior to hibernate until resolved.
 
In the Traverse region, Qekala are exclusively recruited from the planets they are stationed on, creating concerns of conflicts of interest between the Federation and their homes. Consequently, the Traverser Qekala receive much lower funding and equipment than their inner system counterparts, alongside higher scrutiny in their operations, with the NFDIS requiring intense loyalty and background checks on potential recruits. Alongside this, the day-to-day operations of the Qekala are not controlled by their planetary council, but rather the Wukala of said council, in order to ensure loyalty to the Federation is prioritised above all else.
 
===Directory of External Security===
While the Nralakk Federation maintains ample protection of internal security against domestic agitators, they recognise that foreign actors are now a much greater threat in the modern day, with foreign influence even affecting the Traverser rebels during the [[The_Phoron_Scarcity:_Skrell_Arc|Q’elpi]] [[Change_on_the_Horizon_Arc|Systems]] crisis. As a response, the '''Directory of External Security (NFDES)''', whose diverse range of operations have led to its unique structure compared to its domestic counterpart, was formed.The NFDES is divided into three Sections, which are the Intelligence Section, Covert Actions Section, and Defence Section. These sections are defined as their own Kala: an agent of the Intelligence Section is called a '''Ruupkala''', or Intelligence Enforcer; an agent of the Covert Actions Section is called a '''Tupkala''', or Covert Enforcer; and an agent of the Defence Section is called a '''Qukala''', or Star Enforcer. The NFDES is currently led by Executive Director '''Ripalji Guyuo''', a former operative of the Covert Actions Section, and close associate of Weashbi Jrugl, ascending to replace their predecessor immediately after Jrugl’s appointment.
 
====Foreign Operations====
[[File:Tup.PNG|thumb|right|200px|The emblem of the Covert Enforcers.]]
The prestigious Intelligence and Covert Actions Sections serve as the Federation’s first line of defence against foreign threats, maintaining offices for every nation in the Spur. These two Sections conduct their activities under the umbrella category of Foreign Operations, and work in tandem to perform the widest berth of duties of any security organisation. These duties include intelligence gathering, counter-intelligence, monitoring skrell outside of the Federation (both citizen and not), maintaining networks of undercover operatives in foreign national organisations, and assassinations—though no assassination attempt has ever been confirmed to have been approved by the Nralakk Federation. This position at the forefront of skrell security has made the Foreign Operations component of the NFDES a highly desirable position for well-performing citizens, and is a valuable pathway towards a successful political career. The Ruupkala are rumored to monitor the fabled “Drylist,” which supposedly holds the names of all skrell living abroad who have performed deductive behaviors against the Nralakk Federation, displayed worrying ideals, joined an opposing faction, or renounced their citizenship. Some theorize that this list even covers non-skrell who may pose a threat to the Federation. The Drylist, however, remains an openly debunked conspiracy theory by the Nralakk Federation, and no official list has ever been discovered or produced.
 
====Defence====
[[File:Qukala.PNG|thumb|right|200px|The emblem of the Star Enforcers.]]
The Nralakk Federation’s defence structure has kept a unique structure in light of the lack of all-out war or broad conflict in its borders. Rather than having a military structure as the pride and first line of defense for the country, these honours are held by the intelligence operatives of the nation. The Defence Section is regarded by most within the skrell security community as an unfortunate necessity to combat piracy in the less civilised Traverse, other border regions, and frontiers. The Qekala that make up the Defence Section have a very poor standing in the Traverse, where they are most widespread and responsible for enforcing an extensive anti-piracy mandate—being viewed by many Traversers as unnecessary military policing. This reputation has not left the Defence Section unscathed, and is reflected in its relatively low quality, size, staffing, equipment, and funding compared to other branches of Federal security, and a miniscule force when compared to their Solarian neighbours. The lack of interest in the Defence Section has since been capitalised on by the C’thur Hive, particularly Queen Vytel, as vaurca warriors are perfectly suited to EVA operations, as well as acting as an intimidating force against pirates. These C’thuric Warriors have a Federation-designed loyalty implant much like their Qekala siblings. Although the injection of C’thur warriors has been an undeniable success, the effort was not enough to prevent the Federation’s [[The_Phoron_Scarcity:_Skrell_Arc|recent]] [[Change_on_the_Horizon_Arc|embarrassments]] in the Traverse region. Aside from their regular duties, the Qekala are responsible for providing the security for Federation embassies, consulates, and diplomats serving abroad.
 
====Naval Structure====
The Nralakk Federation’s military ships are designed primarily around extremely long-ranged engagement, with any deployed strikecraft consisting of psionically-piloted remote drones and the vanishingly-rare boarding craft. Built for responding against piracy and irregular anti-government actions, the average fleet strength of the Federation is miniscule in comparison to the immense fleets of the Solarian Alliance and similar human nations, with most non-Federation members having only seen the Qekala’s navy on border patrol sorties and the single deployment of the [[The_Beauchamp_Arc|short-sightedly designed NFV Qheles]].

Latest revision as of 08:47, 19 October 2025

Skrell on Ouerea

The Skrell are not inexperienced when it comes to settling on the worlds of other species, having spread themselves out across Human space soon after they made first contact with Humanity. Settling on Ouerea came with its own set of unique issues though, and combined with a tumultuous history it has culminated in a subsection of Skrell who are culturally distinct from most of its species.

History

Shortly after the Nralakk Federation’s First Contact with the Izweski Hegemony in 2403, the two nations would create a unilateral colonial assistance agreement revolving around the Unathi colony Ouerea. The agreement resulted in the creation of a Federation agency called the Ouerea Colonial Mission (OCM), issued a mandate by the Grand Council to provide guidance to the nascent Hegemony in the construction of planetary colonies by providing resources, experienced colonists, and a wealth of technical knowledge to apply in the development of Ouerea to a point of self-sufficiency from their Skrell benefactors.

The Federation’s enthusiasm to assume a guiding role for their fellow sophonts in the Spur encouraged the Grand Council to ensure the success of the OCM, which would serve as a blueprint for further cooperative agreements with other interstellar nations. The OCM was the responsibility of the Ouerean Colonial Oversight Board (OOCB), an extraordinary body directly subservient to the Grand Council, and led by Quvs. skrzridsipo, a renowned logistical and agricultural academic with a long career in leading Skrell colonial efforts in the Traverse region. Initially, Skrzridsipo was issued a small Kala detachment for security purposes, alongside various teams of Skrell academics who would teach their expert knowledge to the Unathi colonists. This small group of Skrell colonists, often called the First Wave in reference to the Federation’s own stages of stellar expansion, remained insulated from the general populace of Ouerea, living in their own compounds and only interacting with select Unathi colonists selected by the Hegemony.

The outbreak of the Contact War rapidly altered this dynamic, and is considered a turning point in Ouerea’s history. The Federation responded by offering wholehearted vocal support for the Hegemony, and pledged to use the OCM to assume temporary custodianship of Ouerea, alongside the Sol Alliance, until the situation on Moghes had stabilised. Allowing the humans and megacorporate assets on Ouerea to be governed by Sol, the OCM received Kala reinforcements to ensure order was maintained on the colony, including the formation of a Qukala task force to combat potential piracy in orbit. The Ouerean Unathi were uniquely welcoming of Federal administration due to their dislike of the feudal system, which was further confirmed by the OOCB’s decision to create a democratic government system on Ouerea, which they deemed as necessary for the colony to sustain itself. This period in Ouerean history is characterised by the increasing interactions between the once divided Skrell and Unathi, which once free of the feudal system, began to form a unified Ouerean culture. The arrival of the Second Wave of colonists, mostly consisting of labourers from the Traverse region, caused further syncretism on the colony, with several Skrell-majority settlements having been formed during the War.

Life and Culture

The Skrell of Ouerea today are in much the same situation as they were before the Hegemony took back control of the planet, and in similar situations seen by Skrell living abroad elsewhere in the Spur. Despite an individual Unathi's thoughts on the species, Skrell are in high demand for their knowledge and skills, and it is common to see Skrell in higher positions in most fields. Skrell in teaching positions are also common, although for the most part they are not tied into the local education system in an official capacity and are usually hired on by guildsmen for their workplace instead. This has given the Skrell a certain amount of respect by the other species, with the common thought being that if a Skrell is in your workplace, you know that you are in good hands. This said, Skrell still face a large amount of discrimination in Ouerean society as some Unathi feel as though they have been cheated out of better opportunities. Even with Ouerea's emphasized importance on equality, the Unathi still struggle when it comes to how they treat non-Unathi. This has translated to many senior positions being held by Unathi, while Skrell are relegated to positions that hold no authority over their peers.

Outside of work, Skrell see more of the egalitarianism that Ouerea embraces. Communities are rarely fully segregated, with the only real exception being Xrqii-Zek'Qlip due to its environment being unsuitable for Unathi. Even here, however, the Skrell population has issues fully assimilating; the cultural differences between Unathi and Skrell have made life in mixed areas difficult, and it can be a challenge for the two species to interact without it being abrasive. This isn't to say that tensions are high between the species, but it has made the existence of "Skrell Quarters" or "Little Qerrbalak's" common in the larger cities such as New Skalamar as Skrell choose to live mostly alongside other Skrell where possible.

Skrell culture and attitudes have changed as a result of mingling with the Unathi and Human populations on Ouerea, particularly views related to individuality. Just as how Ouerean Unathi have placed more importance on the individual rather than the clan you belong to, Skrell on Ouerea have begun to emphasise the importance of individual Skrell rather than focusing on the group as a whole. While by no means completely removing the importance of community, or making the species unable to see the importance of sticking together as a minority on an alien planet, the definition of a group and community for Ouerean Skrell is much smaller than that of a Skrell from the Federation; while Skrell in the Federation are more willing to see themselves part of a greater whole, that "greater whole" for a Skrell on Ouerea may not extend much further than their town or city. Other Unathi ideas have also influenced the Skrell living here, particularly those related to loyalty and honour which match well with pre-existing views. These ideas can be seen the most in younger Skrell, either those who fled the Federation for already having similar views or those who were born on Ouerea. Non-mainstream Skrellian beliefs have seen popularity on Ouerea as well, with Suur'ka being seen as a necessity for a physically weaker and minority species living alongside Unathi. The Suur'ka ideology followed on Ouerea is not unified but still follows the main tenets of Suur'ka and its connected Sqai'Laaq martial art: the mental and physical honing of oneself, self-reliance, and independence. Suur'ka's tenet of independence is particularly popular with Skrell, especially those who took part in the rebellion and is often brought up as a point when the topic of Ouerea's role in the Hegemony is mentioned.

The majority of Skrell on the planet would be considered subversives back in the Federation even before this cultural shift thanks to those staying mostly being Skrell who were either outcasts in Federation society, criminals, or otherwise not ideal citizens. The mix of Skrell from all backgrounds, regardless of ideology or subculture, has allowed the proliferation of Skrell ideas that is unprecedented elsewhere save for perhaps the Republic of Biesel. With their status as Hegemony subjects and the lack of formal agreements between the Hegemony and Federation, Ouerea continues to be a destination for those willing to flee Federation space - albeit one that is considerably less popular than fleeing to the Coalition of Colonies or joining the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion.

There is still a small group Skrell who are still pro-Federation, however, made up of those who did not wish to leave Ouerea for one reason or another, and are who make up the majority of non-Unathi supporters of the Restorationists political movement. Ironically, this group of Skrell are considered outcasts by the greater Skrell community on Ouerea, seeing their pro-Federation, conformist beliefs as precisely what the idea of Ouerea is against. Their support for an authoritarian nation such as the Federation is compared to the Izweski Hegemony, and are widely shunned by both Skrell and Unathi alike as a result. Pro-Federation Skrell on Ouerea do not last long, either finally giving in and adopting the wider culture held by Skrell on the planet or giving up and moving back to the Federation.