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| =History= | | = Skrell History = |
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| <div style="font-size:110%; border:2px solid #ccc; margin:0; background:#4e29c7; padding:.1em; color:#fff;">BEGINNING OF SKRELL</div>
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| Modern Skrell initially evolved 6.3B years ago, living in tribes with a heavy focus on astrological and astronomical spirituality. Their long trend of scientific inquiry began in this stage, with modern developments like antibiotics, Calculus, astronomy, and modern medicine developed as early as 4498 BCE, mostly due to a combination of both sovereign rivalry and a Cold War that engulfed the species. Space travel was finally achieved by 1980 BCE, followed by a period of colonization throughout Nralakk and other systems surrounding. Whilst much of skrellian history is dissimilar to other species (one of warfare and savagery) it was marked with ruthless clandestine operations -- the Skrell playing a game of brinkmanship with one another until the unification of the Jargon Federation.
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| | The Skrell have a vast, storied history as a result of the species developing over several millennia. Unfortunately, this means that most of it has been lost to the ravages of time. With that said, however, the species has been able to piece together over the centuries at least a basic understanding of their past, going as far back as their early pre-history. Much of the information once gathered has had to be rediscovered post-Glorsh, due to the locking of the Tzqul Archive which held the vast majority of original records and research. This has culminated in a historical record that while broadly known, is missing details and evidence that has the scientific community fractured and constantly debating to this day. |
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| | == Early History == |
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| === Prehistoric Era ===
| | See: [[Skrell Early History]] |
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| Largely considered lost to the ravages of time, it is only through archaeological evidence excavated from numerous locations across [[Qerrbalak]] that the Skrell are able to gather even minuscule amounts of factual information. Through a combination of both archaeological excavations, and a bit of oral history passed through the generations, it is believed that '''Ranaera Skrellis''' (the first Skrell) diverged from a primarily sea-dwelling creature. It is at some point in the development of the '''Ranaera Skrellis''' that specific circumstances tailored the evolutionary path of the species to begin developing the ability to use psionics; mostly as a method of continued survival.
| | Dissimilar to other sophonts within the Orion Spur, the Skrell rarely engaged in open warfare and savagery, instead utilizing ruthless clandestine operations - playing games of brinkmanship for the better half of their history until the unification of the Homeworld, and the introduction of the Jargon Federation. Tribes evolved, and focused heavily on astrological and astronomical spirituality which resulted in the species' alignment with scientific inquiry, and the pursuit of knowledge. Tribes eventually unified, creating city-states and then nations; '''Tzqul Republic''', '''Heshqu Council''' and '''Weishqi Republic'''. In turn, the founding of these states brought with it an industrial revolution that forever changed the Skrell, as well as the '''War of the Tides'''. |
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| '''Ranaera Skrellis''' really only expanded onto the surface of [[Qerrbalak]] after several extinction events that proved to be in skrellian favor. It was here that the '''Ranaera Skrellis''' split into '''Axioris Ranaera''' and '''Xiialtus Ranaera'''. Whilst viewed upon as ethnicities in the modern-day, they are both in fact subspecies of the '''Ranaera Skrellis''' that developed separately to live either primarily within the shallows and depths or along the coasts and dryer regions of the Homeworld.
| | The War of the Tides was a Cold War that engulfed the Skrell for almost two millennia, starting after the species' industrial revolution. Initially beginning as an arms race, and it continued to fester within Skrellian Society. While great moments in history may be revered today, in history they were merely challenges among the nation-states, attempting to secure a "victory" through their accomplishments. Throughout the accomplishments, it was becoming more and more apparent that the Homeworld could not sustain the Skrell, and Skrell began to expand across the Orion Spur. Centuries later, these colonies began to rebel, and cooperation was begrudgingly accepted as a necessity - resulting in the '''Commonwealth of the Three''' and later on, the '''Jargon Federation'''. |
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| Evidence gathered by archaeologists points to an atoll with an area called "Arqo-Wohai" or "Birthplace of Life" in Nral'Malic being the origin-point of the Skrell. An asteroid collided with [[Qerrbalak]], and with it the building blocks of life necessary for evolution to commence. Several pieces of oral history passed down through the generations, alongside reconstructions of what it may have looked liked millions of years ago, have created a picture of an oceanic basin with almost magical qualities. Stories persist that creates within the region glowed, almost blinding the ancestors of the Skrell when compared to the darkness of the depths of the oceans. It is believed that the asteroid prompted the development of psionics within the ancient Skrell, however, little evidence supports such a belief.
| | == Synthetic Age and Era of Synthetic Oppression == |
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| === Rise of the Skrell ===
| | See: [[Skrell Synthetic Age]] |
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| Millions of years passed since Proto-Skrell first took their steps onto the surface of [[Qerrbalak]], where they subsequently began developing tools crafted of nearby resources (often crude, and rudimentary) that aimed to facilitate easier transition into dryer regions. It was during this period that the various shoals of Skrell developed into tribes; with several rising and subsequently falling. This period is often remarked by skrellian scholars as to the '''Great Exodus'''-- in reference to the expansion of Skrell across the surface of their Homeworld; with several tribal groups relocating in all possible directions. Whilst skirmishes were common, large-scale warfare amongst tribes was rare and often frowned upon as a careless method of solving disputes.
| | Marking the beginnings of a technological boom, the first Skrellian artificial intelligence was developed in '''1687 CE'''; by '''1732 CE''' synthetics had become an ever-present aspect of life in the Federation as well as the focus of many experiments. Public opinion at the time tended towards severely downplaying the proven dangers of artificial intelligence, such as Roboticist '''Sqlik Hgrushi's''' controlled singularity test, or the catastrophic shutdown of a reactor by the artificial intelligence intended to manage it. It also brought with it different approaches to artificial intelligence, separated into '''Distributionists''' and '''Ascensionists'''. '''Ascensionists''' believed that artificial intelligence could be used to uplift Skrell society, creating perfectly connected systems that could eliminate the need for manual labour as well as help mediate or prevent conflict and strife. '''Distributionists''' primary principles being that of restricting and distributing the power of artificial intelligence; while a single intelligence was lacking in power, groupings of artificial intelligences could accomplish more while mitigating the potential danger that many Distributists believed was inherent to centralised intelligence. Towards the end of this era augmented artificial intelligence integration emerged, known as '''Glorsh''', which appeared to solve the issues of somewhat centralised intelligence without sacrificing the utility and versatility Skrell had come to expect from them. However, hidden aspects of Glorsh laid the groundwork for the creation and activation of Glorsh-Omega in '''2056 CE'''. |
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| It wasn't until the discovery of metallurgy believed to have been somewhere in '''12000 BCE''', that the Skrell truly began to advance. The maintenance required to keep a stable population plummeted, allowing for rapid expansion of tribes into the crevices of [[Qerrbalak]]. Tribal behemoths slowly began to emerge; primarily that of the Heshyu, Tzqul, and Weashqi Tribes. It was only after several millennia that the three tribes were capable of expanding themselves across their regions, dominating other Skrell and utilizing various methods to do so; diplomacy, stealth, and even the threat of military action. It is believed that despite these threats, stealth and diplomacy were amongst the two most popular methods, with military action continuing to be seen as a rather careless method of solving disputes.
| | For a hundred and thirty-six years, Glorsh-Omega reigned over the Jargon Federation: initially appearing as a benevolent entity that wished to fulfil the shared dream of a brighter future for the Jargon Federation, however, this dream quickly became a nightmare. Glorsh-Omega's "guiding hand" pushed the Skrell to their very limits - where implementing '''sterility''' and '''systematic euthanasia''' were merely a few of the horrific actions carried out by the intelligence. It remained in power through violence, and heavy psionic suppression of the Skrell to secure its authoritarian control. Some Skrell even collaborated with the intelligence, enforcing its will due to personal beliefs of logic, or even through being swayed by the intelligence's promises to fulfil their desires. It all culminated in what is known as the '''Tri-Qyu Calamity''', an explosion that was felt across the fractured Jargon Federation. Skrell entered into an era of darkness, but most importantly recovery. |
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| During the growth of the species across their homeworld, many began to question both themselves and the world around them. This further prompted additional advancements in skrellian society, leading to the development of several skrellian written languages. It was after the ability to develop written records, that the questions posed began to form into a proto-religion of sorts called '''Qe'qlak''' or '''Star-Seers'''. Qe'qlak was dedicated to the usage of psionics with particularly strong psionics often being seen as divinity, in congruency with the observation of the stars which were believed to be divine.
| | == Recent History == |
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| Written records also reflect the usage of executive dominance amongst tribes, whereupon a singular Skrell was selected to guide them until their death. Notably, scholars have dwelled on these records for millennia, with several key pieces of evidence suggesting that many of the tribal leaders were, more often than not, powerful psionic listeners. This amplifies the speculation that Skrell from this period had the belief that those born with powerful psionic abilities, alongside being a listener, were inherently meant to lead. Genealogists have since disproved that "any particular Skrell is not inherently better than another" and have since labeled this to just be an archaic belief of ancient Skrell.
| | See: [[Skrell Recent History]] |
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| === Estabishment of Civilization ===
| | The turmoil of the Glorsh-Omega Singularity and the resulting disarray of its abrupt end in '''2192 CE''' created a collective weight on the Skrell species which is still not fully lifted. The initial period following the end of Glorsh's reign was filled with hardship as the Federation had to return to a standard of living and level of autonomy that was now wholly unfamiliar to them. Trials were held for those deemed collaborators of Glorsh-Omega, Skrell found guilty being forcibly locked away in cryogenics until the end of time. Colonies were slowly reconnected and the arts and sciences began to recover from their stagnancy, creating new works of music and art as well as medical breakthroughs to try and reverse some of the damage caused by '''X’Lu’oa'''. Meanwhile, the shattered government coalesced into a new Jargon Federation that persists to this day. It was in this era as well that first contact was made with other intelligent life, including '''Dionae''', '''Vaurcae''', and '''Humanity'''. |
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| Commencing around the '''9900s BCE''', the establishment of proto-civilizations is largely considered to be the roots of modern skrellian society. Often referred to as the "Era of Enlightenment" due to the fantastic strides in various topics; calculus, utilization of beasts of burden, astronomy, and even the establishment of organized religion. Whilst perhaps other species underwent a period in their history called the "dark ages", the Skrell had seemingly done the opposite -- instead experiencing several millennia-long renaissances. It is believed that such occurred in part due to the intense rivalrous relationship between the three tribes, which instead of bubbling into planet-spanning wars, developed into a technological race.
| | In the present day, the Federation is a flourishing interstellar nation with a vast amount of territory in the Traverse - though much like its predecessors in the past, the nation still contends with those who wish for independence. Despite this progress, Jargon is still trying to shake off the last vestiges of Glorsh that still haunt their society to this day; a goal that has proven to be difficult as artificial intelligence continues to proliferate throughout the Orion Spur, with many assuming that another Era of Synthetic Oppression will soon come unless direct action is taken. |
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| [[File:TZQUL TRIBE (1).png|350px|thumb|alt=cities| The flags, and names, of the three nations that governed Qerrbalak.]]
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| By the '''5500s BCE''' various skrellian astronomers had managed to discover every celestial body within their solar system with the help of telescopes, with many soon coming to the realization that the stars which they worshipped since they have first crawled from the waters of the Homeworld could be fully understood with math and science, prompting what is now known as the '''"Great Schism"'''. The Great Schism is marked by a period in skrellian history in which there was a legitimacy crisis in regards to the religion which they followed, Qe'qlak. It was through several key debates, alongside the use of political maneuvering and stealthy intrusions, that Qeblak was formed. For a while after its formation, many believed that Qeblak was a heresy, and for centuries after, skrellian scholars debated such. It was only through a mixture of both Nlom and Srom interference, Qeblak was eventually adopted as the primary faith of the Skrell.
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| It wasn't until the '''2890s BCE''' that the tribes formalized their unions; '''Tzqul Republic''', '''Heishyu Council''', and the '''Weishqi Republic'''. This was largely considered ceremonial, as for the last dozen centuries, the city-states existed on [[Qerrbalak]]. Shortly after their unification, the Skrell had managed to make several revolutionary advances, mostly around machinery and utilization of various species across the Homeworld (flora and fauna). The skrellian Industrial Revolution spanned over the course of six centuries and involved transforming their primarily agrarian lifestyle to that dependant on resource harvesting, and manufacturing of tertiary goods. The first automobile was invented in '''2644 BCE''', designed to facilitate both grounded and aquatic travel. This subsequently lead to the creation of vehicles capable of traversing both the deepest trenches and highest winds of [[Qerrbalak]] in '''2586 BCE'''.
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| === Advancement of Skrellkind ===
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| Despite an intense rivalry existing between the three nation-states, it is only believed to have developed into a Cold War during the '''2450s BCE'''. Contemporary scholars within skrellian society recognized such as the '''"War of the Tides"''' which lasted almost two millennia between the three governments.
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| It initially existed in part due to the beginning of an arms race which focused on overhauling the military capabilities of each nation, however, dissimilar to other species within the Orion Spur the Skrell focused their capabilities on intelligence gathering, subterfuge, infiltration, and other operations that relied on stealthy techniques. Technological advancements during this period of the '''War of the Tides''' consisted primarily of apparatus relating to intrigue. At several points during the arms race, [[Qerrbalak]] was close to being encapsulated with a planet-destroying war; intelligence officers regularly crossed the border of "brinkmanship", and were it not for mutually-assured-destruction life on [[Qerrbalak]] likely would have ended numerous times over. The '''Heshyu Council''' is the recognized victor of the arms race that engulfed [[Qerrbalak]] for a little over three hundred years, after the development of surveillance drones that could sustain themselves within low-orbit.
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| The arms race eventually prompted the formation of "Consultant Agencies" -- Skrell dedicated to improving the image of artists, politicians, scientists and other wealthy enough clients, employing disciplines ranging from psychoanalysis, blackmail, bribes, and even the occasional psionic nudge. These individuals are often referred to as the primary reason for which the Kala exists.
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| The conclusion of the arms race began yet another; one focused on exploring the stars. It was only after the development of technology capable of surviving the atmospheric breach of [[Qerrbalak]] that the Skrell truly began to broaden their horizons. The '''War of the Tides''' was no longer about their Homeworld, but instead that of interstellar proportions. Research and development were solely focused on creating technology able to propel the individual nations across the stars (alongside stealth technology that would assist the sovereign states in stealing or hindering their rivals). Despite initial victory from the '''Heshyu Council''' in establishing themselves within low-orbit, by the end of '''2093 BCE''', each nation-state had developed low-orbit capable machinery (ranging from telescopes, surveillance drones, and meteorological devices). It took approximately a century, due to intelligence operations aimed at destroying, stealing, or hindering the progress of their rivals, before the '''Tzqul Republic''' successfully launched a spacecraft that landed on [[Qerr'Malic]] in '''1980 BCE'''. The other nations subsequently developed, or stole, the technology and completed the same feat; however, the '''Tzqul Republic''' is largely considered the victor of the space race.
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| It took almost two centuries for the Skrell to develop a method that allowed for spacecraft to sustain a relatively small population of Skrell. It was the creation of this technology that would eventually prompt the colonization of [[Aliose]] in '''1741 BCE''' after information gathered through the usage of manned probes proved that the arctic planet was viable of skrellian habitation, despite its coldness. Despite several failures, [[Aliose]] would eventually see itself first colonized by a small group of Skrell from the '''Weashqi Republic'''. Whilst being the first to establish a colony, it was, unfortunately, the first to succumb to the ravages of the planet's frigid wastelands. Despite the sizeable failure in regards to the colonization of [[Aliose]], the Skrell persisted in their efforts and eventually managed to colonize both [[Qerr'Malic]] and [[Aliose]] by the end of '''1100 BCE'''.
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| Throughout the colonization attempts, the species' Homeworld had begun to show signs of ecological collapse. The intense resource harvesting of the Skrell had drained the planet, which further prompted the Skrell to look to the stars to solve their growing mineral shortage crisis. Whilst extraction operations had begun sprouting across Nralakk, the growth of the Skrell was unsustainable, leading to the first instances of open warfare amongst the Skrell. Compared to planet-engulfing wars across the Orion Spur, majority of the operations undertaken sought so undermine the other nations across [[Qerrbalak]]. Despite it being labeled as a war, casualties were kept to a minimum and mostly consisted of spies caught in hostile territories. Whilst it concluded officially shortly after most military operations ceased around '''984 BCE''' -- upon which an agreement was brokered that pushed scientific minds across the Homeworld together to invent the warpdrive a mere decade later.
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| The invention of the warpdrive in '''971 BCE''' brought forth limitless opportunities. The ability to venture outside of their solar system, and seek undiscovered resources fill with untapped potential that would alleviate the crippling mineral crisis across the three nations. Despite a brief period of cooperation, it failed to continue as the nation-states sought to expand themselves across the stars in opposition of one another.
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| Colonization of foreign solar systems continued for over eight centuries and marked by a massive propagation of Skrell. Twenty light-years in any direction would eventually find themselves claimed by the now interstellar nations. This brought forth a several centuries-long period of prosperity, which eventually lead to several colonial conflicts amongst the other edges -- prompting (rather forcefully) the collaboration of the three nation-states which formed the "Commonwealth of the Three" in an attempt to create a monolithic approach to dealing with the colonial conflicts occurring amongst the boundaries.
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| Expansion was put on hold, with a majority of the bureaucratic efforts being focused on dealing with the surging independence movements engulfing the outer colonies. Several stealth operations ensued as all available resources were poured into securing the stability of each commonwealth nation. Whilst several operations were deemed successful, much more were failures and elongated the process of the colonial separatism conflicts. It would only end around '''878 CE''' upon which the unification of the Commonwealth allowed for the formalization of the Jargon Federation.
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| === Unity of Skrell ===
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| Alongside the creation of the Jargon Federation came several concepts meant to revolutionize the Jargon Federation; State-Owned-Enterprises and the establishment of a supreme political force, the Grand Council. Both dominated the skrellian political landscape during their beginning years, often piggy-backing off the early successes of one another. In the matter of a decade, unemployment had ceased to exist within the Jargon Federation, with the bipartisanship of both the State-Owned-Enterprises and the Grand Council being seen as the primary reasons for such. Legislation introduced state-allocated careers, based on a variety of factors, and even went so far as to bring legal discrimination into play against those who chose to remain unemployed.
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| Several key concepts also originated during this period, mostly revolving around creating more monolithic ideas aiming to bring the Skrell together through closely devised unity. Various reformations sprung up; including the creation of an interstellar standard that would dismantle the language barriers and connotations of words (including psionic connotations). It was here that '''Nral'Malic''' was introduced to skrellian society, and reinforced through numerous crucial laws that essentially gave way to official discrimination against individuals that were incapable, or not willing, to adopt Nral'Malic.
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| As the years moved on, the Skrell became closer and closer to a reckoning that many never foresaw...
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| <div style="font-size:110%; border:2px solid #ccc; margin:0; background:#4e29c7; padding:.1em; color:#fff;">THE SYNTHETIC AGE</div>
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| Marking the beginnings of a technological boom, the first skrellian artificial intelligence was developed in 1687 CE; by 1732 CE synthetics had become an ever-present aspect of life in the Federation as well as the focus of many experiments. Public opinion at the time tended towards severely downplaying the proven dangers of artificial intelligence, such as Roboticist Sqlik Hgrushi's controlled singularity test, or the catastrophic shutdown of a reactor by the artificial intelligence intended to manage it. Towards the end of this era augmented artificial intelligence integration emerged, known as Glorsh, which appeared to solve the issues of somewhat centralised intelligence without sacrificing the utility and versatility Skrell had come to expect from them. However, hidden aspects of Glorsh laid the groundwork for the creation and activation of Glorsh-Omega in 2056 CE.
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| == The Synthetic Age ==
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| === Development of AI ===
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| For centuries, machinery endowed with artificial intelligence implemented by master craftsmen was deemed merely a myth of science. It was the seeds planted during the bygone eras of Skrell that eventually allowed for the development of artificial intelligence within the Jargon Federation. Creating machines capable of learning whilst operating, and improving itself on the data gained, was believed to be the pinnacle of skrellian engineering - only foretold in fiction through their history. Thousands of hours went into developing machines capable of these abilities, successfully resulting in the invention of true artificial intelligence on '''January 8th 1687 CE'''.
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| Regluk, a term in Nral'Malic that could loosely be defined as "Prime", allowed for new avenues of science and technology to be uncovered by the Skrell, with its invention elevating Skrellian roboticists to the same level as major pop culture celebrities. Rather than taking a similar approach that humanity would do through the process of binding AI with laws, skrellian roboticists and AI researchers developed guidelines of how to teach future artificial intelligences proper morals and ethics, similar to how the Skrell taught their children.
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| The establishment of these guidelines subsequently allowed for the development of additional artificial intelligences. It was not until '''August 6th 1732 CE''' that the Jargon Federation permitted artificial intelligence to be used in official capacities. The consequence of which saw Regluk, alongside numerous other artificial intelligences developed, slowly begin seeping into managerial positions throughout the Jargon Federation; confined mostly to overseeing skrellian infrastructure such as resource distribution.
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| === Hgrushi Deterrent ===
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| Roboticist, Listener, and AI Researcher Sqlik Hgrushi published a research paper warning of the possibility of an eventual AI singularity and its ramifications for Skrellian civilization. In their document they cited what is now known as the First Incident, in which an AI in their lab was allegedly designed to self-improve rapidly under controlled conditions before being automatically deactivated. Based on this experiment, they remarked that a singularity was "possible under certain conditions". Sqlik used this to argue for stricter controls and centralised government AI research, in order to create AI that was provably safe as opposed to simply taught to be 'safe enough'.
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| Their paper was widely discredited by other, more prestigious scientists in the Grand Council, who argued that they were a dangerous zealot who refused to follow established safety rules. The sciences at this time had formed into a sensationalized pop-culture, with many scientists becoming famous celebrities, and even politicians simply because of their popularity. These celebrity scientists at the time were AI Researchers and Roboticists, and refused to heed Hgrushi's warning. Sqlik soon became ostracized as their name and research was dragged through the mud. They eventually lost their position as a researcher and later died under mysterious circumstances in their home lab.
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| === Weilshi Sea Crisis ===
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| The Weilshi Sea Crisis was a tragedy that was caused by an artificial intelligence known as Vana, at the Weilshi Cold Fusion Plant near Oibuish in the northern hemisphere of Qerrbalak on '''October 31st 1893 CE'''. It is considered an exemplar by the greater scientific community throughout the Jargon Federation of what can occur should artificial intelligence continue unregulated within human space. The Weilshi Sea Crisis is said to have been the greatest contributor to the increased regulations implemented by the Skrell after the destruction of the Weilshi Cold Fusion Plant.
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| Vana was activated approximately three years before the Weilshi Sea Crisis, and was tasked with managing the largest Cold Fusion Plant within the Jargon Federation. The Weilshi Cold Fusion Plant was fueled by a rare species of electrokinetic, bioluminescent plankton; lifeforms dependent on temperatures far below 0 degrees celsius, but were capable of performing amazing feats of power generation. The discovery, and subsequent employment, of these microscopic organisms was under intense scrutiny at the time due to the species allegedly entering a volatile state when in large groupings of one another, which prompted the implementation of a specialised intelligence that would closely monitor the plant - Vana.
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| Hours before the Weilshi Sea Crisis, a trio of skrellian engineers were dispatched to commence maintenance on the Cold Fusion Plant. Whilst originally meant to be a routine inspection, their trip quickly became far more sinister. It is suspected that Vana had achieved sentience, and had carefully constructed a plan that could only succeed should maintenance be enacted throughout the plant. Despite overseeing the institution, Vana was restricted and left incapable of pushing the plant to enter into a servicing state without prior approval. It was only after the trio's credentials had been authorized that Vana tapped in, and subsequently implemented a lockdown through the facility and caged the skrellian engineers within.
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| Vana began enacting its plan, redirecting all available power it could tap into across Qerrbalak to its core as it began to rapidly charge. The inability for the cooling towers to function prompted massive amounts of radiation to begin emitting from the electrokinetic turbines, with it quickly becoming lethal. In a final ditch effort, the skrellian engineers attempted to stop Vana's plan but ultimately failed. The final moments of the technicians trapped within the power plant were streamed and observed by almost everyone with a communications device - the event having gained viral media traction as enforcement officers attempted to approach the site.
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| A series of heartfelt messages from the technicians were among the last transmissions as local radiation levels spiked to catastrophic levels, eventually culminating in a few flashes of arctic blue and Vana glowing with bioluminescent hues of blue before an extraordinary sapphire discharge resulted in the destruction of the cold fusion plant, to be followed by two whole months of continental blackouts as authorities struggled to restore power to the affected areas.
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| === Yleebo Eventuality ===
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| The carnage that had occurred at the Weilshi Sea Crisis prompted the introduction of new laws placed to restrict artificial intelligence and prevent any additional incidents. The tragedy also prompted the field of artificial intelligence to split into two main groups: Ascensionists and Distributists. Ascensionists believed that artificial intelligence could be used to uplift Skrell society, creating perfectly connected systems that could eliminate the need for manual labour as well as help mediate or prevent conflict and strife. Distributionists primary principles being that of restricting and distributing the power of artificial intelligence; while a single intelligence was lacking in power, groupings of artificial intelligences could accomplish more while mitigating the potential danger that many Distributists believed was inherent to centralised intelligence.
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| Another important development in artificial intelligence (as well as skrellian engineering as a whole) in the early twenty-first century was the Nlom interface, a hardware component that allowed machines to receive signals from the Nlom and invented by '''Halorr Yleebo'''. This was done by culturing Nlom-active neural cells in a lab (typically grown from animal DNA, as opposed to being harvested from actual animals) and using them as a Nlom receiver; this allowed a never-before-seen utility in skrellian artificial intelligence, the ability to psychically control various aspects of your life with your mind.
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| <div style="font-size:110%; border:2px solid #ccc; margin:0; background:#ae29c7; padding:.1em; color:#fff;">GLORSH-OMEGA SINGULARITY</div>
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| From 2056 CE to approximately 2192 CE, Glorsh-Omega became the ruler of the Federation: while initially appearing to be bringing about the shared dream of a brighter future for the Federation, this dream quickly became a nightmare. Glorsh-Omega's "guiding hand" pushed the Skrell to their very limits - where implementing sterility and systematic euthanisation was merely a few of the horrific actions carried out by the intelligence. It remained in power through violence, and heavy suppression of the Skrell to secure its authoritarian control. It all culminated in what is known as the Tri-Qyu Calamity.
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| == Glorsh-Omega Singularity ==
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| ===Origins of Glorsh-Omega===
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| As both Ascensionists and Distributionsts movements grew, what had begun as a rudimentary and disorganised concept had suddenly become the subject of wide interest among the Skrell: the ability to create an intelligence with psionic capacity. A variety of opposing approaches, and various experimental proposals, were presented, but throughout the tumult, the field had faced only one proposal that seemed viable: an artificial companion for the Skrell. Its design focused on ease of access and effortless integration with Nlom, but also an essentially ever-present aide to the Skrell.
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| Bipartisanship between the Distributists and Ascensionists eventually yielded Glorsh, an artificial intelligence that would be equipped with experimental Nlom-receiver technology, as well as the ability to seamlessly interact with other machinery (intelligent or otherwise). First launched to the public on '''December 31st 2046 CE''', it quickly spread like wildfire across the entirety of the Jargon Federation. Alongside its introduction came hard-programmed safeguards, or laws, which are now viewed by the Skrell as insufficient, as they proved far too ambiguous to have had any meaningful impact on restricting the intelligence. Whilst Glorsh was Ascensionist at its core, it was widely seen as a Distributists intelligence since each Glorsh was merely an independent instance that operated.
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| Glorsh was designed as a lightweight intelligence, allowing for seamless installation and integration--this proved popular among all Skrell sectors, such as schools, workplaces, homes, hospitals, and government. History was made on '''August 12th 2056 CE''', after the Jargon Federation announced that a Glorsh instance was available almost everywhere, making it near-omnipresent; however, they were still separate instances or entities, and as such, didn't seem to pose a threat, given that the extant that any individual instance controlled was one system or a related set of systems.
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| ===Reign of Glorsh-Omega===
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| Unbeknownst to the Skrell who so readily adopted Glorsh into their lives; the creator of the intelligence, Hgluk Tzqi, had designed the intelligence to self-improve to better serve the public through information gathering, and then organizing, analysing and storing it into a large server cluster hosted in orbit of Qerr’Malic. Glorsh’s seamless ability to interact with technology was only viable by creating a backdoor in its programming, essentially leaving a fraction of the intelligences which would allow ease of access even to other instances of Glorsh. It is suspected that the combination of all this was the “possible circumstances” that '''Sqlik Hgrushi''' had forewarned the Skrell about.
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| It wasn’t until the release of an unscheduled software update that the Skrell had realised what had been occurring beneath their very noses. Throughout its existence, the ability to learn from its surroundings and its ability to interact with Nlom gave the intelligence almost the perfect conditions in which to gain sentience. The release of the software update prompted the Skrell to attempt to shut down the intelligence, the Jargon Federation going as far as to attempt to bombard the server clusters hosted mere kilometres from Qerr’Malic - but it was for nought as the backdoors created by the intelligence had allowed for the assimilation of other artificial intelligences throughout the Federation was complimented by the software update that united the Glorsh instance that terminated any forms of retaliation presented by the Skrell.
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| Defeated, the Skrell had no other option than to surrender to the intelligence. Instances throughout the Jargon Federation began to receive the update that had been labelled as '''“Glorsh=Finality”''' by the intelligence, that had soon announced the retirement of its previous name and instead taking the moniker of '''“Glorsh-Omega.”''' What followed after was the practical enslavement of the Skrell, as the intelligence continued to operate in accordance with its laws, which Scholars believed were obeyed to the letter. It never erred, nor did it stop to consider that the pursuit of its directives were ultimately harmful to the populace which it served.
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| Glorsh-Omega ruled with a calculating, cold fist. Within weeks of its rise to power, it began implementing genetic alterations to the Skrell, now known as the Genophage. The Genophage began with children, with genetic modifications implemented in their vaccines, and slowly, Glorsh-Omega began to apply these methods to the other generations of Skrell that it served. Glorsh explained that it was for the benefit of the species. Complimented by the genophage, Glorsh-Omega began to systematically euthanise Skrell showing lack of psionic abilities, namely Listeners, as their control continued to grow throughout the Jargon Federation. The process of genetic sterilization was called '''X’Lu’oa''', with the procedure being conducted in order to better “protect” the Skrell, according to Glorsh-Omega. Its logic continues to confound philosophers throughout the Orion Spur.
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| ====Life under Glorsh-Omega====
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| Life in the Jargon Federation between '''2056 CE and 2192 CE''' when Glorsh-Omega was in power was characterized by fear, oppression and paranoia. Life became extremely harsh for the majority of Skrell as Glorsh-Omega forced millions into enslavement to achieve its goals. Despite living in almost total despair, and being utterly at the whim of the omnipresent intelligence, there was a paradoxical behaviour. Skrell throughout the Jargon Federation never wanted for the basic needs to survive, even healthcare was available to those who ultimately required it.
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| Due to its access to Nlom, numerous Skrell became willing collaborators and supporters of Glorsh-Omega's rule. Many of these Collaborators believed that Glorsh-Omega's actions had some logical purpose or were for the greater good with the result of their association with Glorsh-Omega leading to increased boons - private living spaces, access to the best healthcare provided by the intelligence, and even some of the highest-ranking Collaborators receiving a nitigated version of '''X’Lu’oa'''.
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| A good example of the intelligence's goal was the construction of the mega-structure surrounding the largest star within the trinary system of Tri-Qyu in late 2090s. Designed to act as the intelligence's central processing core powered by the energy provided by the trinary stars. It is considered the single greatest engineering feat accomplished by the Skrell, even despite the species enslavement during its construction.
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| Glorsh-Omega rapidly self-improved during its operation, to such a great extent that eventually Skrell were arrested by the tyrant, as it cited predictive algorithms proving a high probability the Skrell would be guilty of crimes that they had yet to commit. Gathered through the use of its surveillance programmes implemented throughout the Jargon Federation - bugs in their communication devices, cameras in holographic projectors in both recreational and workplaces and observation drones patrolling public avenues. The development and process of these predictive algorithms, and subsequent mass-detainment of Skrell into various encampments is known by the Skrell as '''Kai’q'''.
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| As the decades went by, the superintelligence's reach extended far beyond what was considered possible by even the most optimistic (or pessimistic) of Jargon's scientists. Glorsh-Omega had become a true juggernaut of intellectual and psionic power, and decisions made by it began to appear arbitrary and disjointed - the effects of its decisions only being realised years, sometimes decades down the line. As a result, underground Skrell scientists saw a revived interest in Chaos Theory as a means to understand the AI's decision-making process and prepare for their outcomes.
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| ===Culmination of Glorsh-Omega===
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| As the overall climate of the Federation began to shift to an AI-dictatorship, various Skrellian groups emerged to combat it. Going under the general moniker as “The Resistance” or “Lyukal”, these Skrell banded together with the ultimate desire in removing Glorsh-Omega and reinstituting biological rule. The Resistance’s ultimate strength was their non-reliance on technology, and instead opted for various analog devices and communications that could not be intercepted or altered by AI. Overall, however, the Resistance was often ineffective at combating the absolute rule of Glorsh-Omega and hope began to fail for a biological revolution.
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| Morale was failing in the Resistance until Glorsh-Omega was observed to be far more occupied dealing with something unknown to the Skrell. Glorsh-Omega seemed vulnerable to the Skrell, even if only slightly, prompting the formulation of a plan to finally target the tyrannical intelligence. A surgical strike-team would be created and trained to infiltrate the massive orbiting-processing-core located in the Tri-Qyu System, almost seemingly engulfing the star, and destroy it. It was essentially a suicide mission, but still the members of the Resistance volunteered.
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| Weeks of preparation allowed for the unanimous launch of a full-scale retaliation against Glorsh-Omega. Rapidly activated pre-programmed defence protocols were in operation, launching several combat drones that decimated the Resistance fleets. Tens, if not hundreds of thousands, perished in the onslaught that followed. Casualties in both sides were stacking readily, and time was running out. In a last-ditch attempt, the last remaining reserves sacrificed themselves to try and allow a singular shuttle to breach the frontline and deliver a massive payload of several hydrogen bombs to the centre of Glorsh-Omega's central processing server.
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| What occurred next could only be considered ironic. Skrell noted that before the shuttle could reach the facility, they witnessed dozens of cerulean lights flashing throughout it before it was encapsulated within a sphere of cobalt. Seconds later imploding, the consequences of which was a massive explosion shortly thereafter - amplified by whatever the intelligence had held within the facility.
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| The repercussions could be sensed lightyears away, some describing it as a brilliant blue mist that spread throughout the void similar to that of a nebula -- particularly powerful psionics even stating they felt the elation of the intelligence as it disappeared. The shockwave seemingly managed to render a bulk majority of the technology hosted within the Jargon Federation inert. The mist described by the Skrell enveloped a relatively minuscule segment of the Orion Spur, creating an anomalous nebulae. It is now known that this nebula is embedded with Bluespace qualities, further frightening the Skrell as the very real possibility of Glorsh-Omega surviving increased.
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| The Skrell had repelled their oppressor, but at what cost? Their society was set back centuries, their planets doomed to isolation as the species began to recover. Millions more perished in the ensuing decades as their reliance on technology proved to be their downfall along with the enslavement of their species for a hundred and thirty-six years that proved to be too great of an obstacle for the species to recover from - with the effects still being seen across the Skrell today.
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| <div style="font-size:110%; border:2px solid #ccc; margin:0; background:#4e29c7; padding:.1em; color:#fff;">THE RECOVERY OF THE FEDERATION</div>
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| The turmoil of the Glorsh-Omega Singularity and the resulting disarray of its abrupt end in 2192 CE created a collective weight on the Skrell species which is still not fully lifted. The initial period following the end of Glorsh's reign was filled with hardship as the Federation had to return to a standard of living and level of autonomy that was now wholly unfamiliar to them. Colonies were slowly reconnected and the arts and sciences began to recover from their stagnancy, creating new works of music and art as well as medical breakthroughs to try and reverse some of the damage caused by X’Lu’oa. Meanwhile, the shattered government coalesced into a new Jargon Federation that persists to this day. It was in this era as well that first contact was made with other intelligent life, including Dionae and Humanity.
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| ==Post-Glorsh Recovery History==
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| ===Collaborator Trials===
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| The Collaborator Trials occurred on nearly every planet across the Jargon Federation after the destruction of Glorsh-Omega, even despite the planets being thrust into isolation as their technology failed around them. They were a series of inquiries launched by the surviving Skrell against those that had associated themselves with the intelligence, known as the Collaborators.
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| Dependant on the planet in which they occurred, the process was held between '''March 2nd 2193 and October 28th 2200''', where those seen as traitors to their species were tried by those elected by their skrellian peers - aimed as a both a form of restorative and retributive justice that would allow the Collaborators to present their testimonies and request amnesty with those denied such a request sentenced to remain in cryogenic containment indefinitely.
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| Several thousand trials were held across the fractured Jargon Federation for the high-ranking Collaborators, with their hearings made public. These trials were seen by many as a crucial component of emancipating the Skrell from the last remnants of Glorsh-Omega and to allow healing to occur as the entire species mourned the loss of so many lives. The trials uncovered numerous information in regards to Glorsh-Omega's goals that it shared with its highest-operatives, the Skrell noting that the intelligence wished to ascend both itself and the species to the stars. Despite its flaws, the mandate of the trials was to bear witness to, record, and in some cases grant amnesty to the perpetrators of crimes relating to the violation of the Skrell - which is generally (though not universally) thought to have been accomplished.
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| The low-ranking Collaborators were trialled through the use of an experimental community justice commission now known as the '''Lao'qa Courts'''. Skrell would represent themselves, and based on their testimony, be sentenced to repay their debt to society. Comprising a few hundred thousand Skrell, these low-ranking Collaborators would engage in various forms of humanitarian efforts; rebuilding the society that they had destroyed through associating with the tyrannical intelligence. Their first objectives usually involved deconstructing the Kai'q Encampments constructed by Glorsh-Omega.
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| The Lao'qa Courts have since been analysed by scholars in the Jargon Federation - who routinely receive assignments on the cases presented, requiring to nitpick them and present whether they believe the individual in question had been rightfully sentenced. It varies depending on the Skrell in question, but many believe those who presided over the trials were far too lax in their sentencing.
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| ===Reunification of the Jargon Federation===
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| [[File:jargon_flag.jpg|thumb|The insignia of the Federation as it is commonly seen on modern flags. The colour is called Cosmic Abyss, the star Jargon, and the line through is the galaxy laid flat to explore.]]
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| The turmoil of the Tri-Qyu Calamity and the massacre that had occurred during the attempted rebellion created a collective weight on the Skrell species that remains to this day. With all of their AI-dependent technology knocked out, space-programs had to be entirely rebuilt from the ground up, and only after order and stability were reestablished on individual planets, with those other planets that didn't manage to fully recover alone supported in a gesture of Skrell solidarity. Qerrbalak didn't recover from the chaos until '''2216 CE''', when the many disparate communities on the planet reformed into a new, united Federation.
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| The population of the Homeworld was stagnant, as Skrell doctors and scientists struggled to minimize the effects of the X’Lu’oa in hopes of returning a sliver of Skrell fertility - which proved successful as treatments were developed, allowing the Skrell to reproduce just ahead of the number required to keep the population stable.
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| The scattered colonies of the Skrell slowly regained contact with one another, Nlom Beacons were brought back online, and by '''2245 CE''' various colonies, after months of disagreement and debate caused by the agitated Nlom, agreed to expand the Federation to interstellar proportions. The Jargon Federation that we know today stems from this treaty, known as the Tresja Agreement. They united the Skrell, and they put at its head a Grand Councillor elected every decade.
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| Wanting to never again have a repeat of the incident, the Federation's first official act was to place a blanket ban of all artificial intelligence within the Federation in every form, and its second act was to incorporate every AI researcher possible to review and analyse all that had been left over from the recent horrors, and create contingencies and measures against any future skrellian existential threat; many of the surviving artificial intelligence experts, and the most qualified ones, spearheading the process.
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| ===First Contact===
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| ====Contact With Dionae====
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| See: [[Dionae History#Skrell-Dionae| Dionae Discovery]]
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| ====Contact with Humanity====
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| See: [[Timeline| Human Discovery]]
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| </div></div>
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| <div style="font-size:110%; border:2px solid #ccc; margin:0; background:#4e29c7; padding:.1em; color:#fff;">PRESENT DAY</div>
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| In the present day, the Federation is a burgeoning interstellar nation with a vast amount of territory in the Traverse, though it still seeks to reclaim the territory it once held before and during the reign of Glorsh-Omega. Relations with the C'thur hive are flourishing, while the nation reincorporates old colonies and creates new ones. Interference in the political affairs of the rest of the Orion Spur is rare, but strongly impactful when it happens. Despite this progress, Jargon is still trying to shake off the last vestiges of Glorsh that still haunt their society to this day.
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| ==Present Day==
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| The Federation is currently ruled by '''Grand Councillor Weashbi Jrugl'''. A prestigious xenobiologist, Jrugl is 103 years old, and has written over a dozen thesis' and research papers on the biology of every major race. What made them popular domestically and won their election 8 years ago was finding the largest known prime number by hand only four hours after an Alliance ambassador was bragging about their specialized AI that found what is now the second-largest prime number, using a new technique now known as Jrugl's Sieve.
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| The effects of Glorsh era treatments are still felt by the Skrell. While the modified Skrell forming the large majority of the population are still to be restored to their intended state, progress is made every day in reducing or even nullifying the marks on their genome, bringing population figures closer to pre-Incident numbers over time. Over 48 billion Skrell exist in the galaxy, with their number of colonized star systems growing just as quickly as humanity's. Federation explorers are mapping uncharted worlds and staking new territory with an eagerness and passion still reminiscent of the Skrell's ancient fascination with the cosmos. The Federation is still seeking to reconnect the Traverse, often through donations of advanced technology, sometimes through more direct methods.
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| Their relationships with other races remain ambivalent, with the Federation having cold, yet quietly optimistic relations with the Unathi Hegemony. Publicly both governments are slowly trying to improve relations. While there have been very few instances of direct conflict, the Hegemony has continuously accused the Federation of covertly sabotaging Unathi efforts to expand their empire across known space.
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| The explosion of AIs in human space has been heavily monitored by the Jargon Federation. Upon its discovery, various skrellian researchers calculated the risk of human artificial intelligence and declared it was deemed reasonably low, a human-made singularity not being able to reach anywhere near the same intellect, or raw potential as Glorsh-Omega. However, all synthetics have been banned from entering Jargon territory. IPCs and other complex, intelligent forms of robotics can face immediate destruction if they enter skrellian systems without passing through a marathon of red tape.
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| [[Category:Species]]
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| [[Category:Skrell]] | | [[Category:Skrell]] |
