adquiridos, incluso con los idólatras hostiles
25. Respondía cuando un no musulmán lo llamaba
Z’zor
Not long ago, Corporation explorer-ships Not long ago, Corporation explorer-ships made contact with a new race inhabiting the made contact with a new race inhabiting the furthest reaches of the galaxy. To say that furthest reaches of the galaxy. To say that they have disturbed a hornet’s nest is a major they have disturbed a hornet’s nest is a major understatement, but it’s nevertheless a quite understatement, but it’s nevertheless a quite accurate description of the events that followed. accurate description of the events that followed. The vessels themselves were attacked with The vessels themselves were attacked with a fury without precedent and destroyed… a fury without precedent and destroyed… and so was the military rescue fleet sent by and so was the military rescue fleet sent by the Corporation… and so were the adjoining the Corporation… and so were the adjoining systems, whose population paid the ultimate systems, whose population paid the ultimate price for the Corporation’s insatiable desire price for the Corporation’s insatiable desire to expand its domains.
to expand its domains.
Now a massive containment operation Now a massive containment operation is in place, but all attempts at cordoning is in place, but all attempts at cordoning and blockading the Z’zor homeworlds are and blockading the Z’zor homeworlds are
proving fruitless. This is an enemy that is proving fruitless. This is an enemy that is different from anything the Corporation or different from anything the Corporation or indeed any of the other races has faced indeed any of the other races has faced before – much like bees that are defending before – much like bees that are defending their colony, the immense swarms of the their colony, the immense swarms of the insect-like Z’zor never stop their attacks insect-like Z’zor never stop their attacks until they have eliminated the enemy or until they have eliminated the enemy or have been
have been themselvthemselves completely wiped out.es completely wiped out. They cannot be reasoned or bargained with, They cannot be reasoned or bargained with, nor can they be bribed. In fact all attempts nor can they be bribed. In fact all attempts at communication have been ignored and at communication have been ignored and the unfortunate envoys and their escorting the unfortunate envoys and their escorting troops had to fight desperate battles against troops had to fight desperate battles against an apparently endless mass of enemies. an apparently endless mass of enemies. And yet, these are no mindless beasts. In And yet, these are no mindless beasts. In many occasions they have shown signs of many occasions they have shown signs of cunning and intelligence in both the grand cunning and intelligence in both the grand
Rebs
Rebs
The absolute and iron-fisted imperialism of The absolute and iron-fisted imperialism of the Corporation has turned humanity into the the Corporation has turned humanity into the arch-enemy of many of the other intelligent arch-enemy of many of the other intelligent races that populate the galaxy. A secret races that populate the galaxy. A secret Resistance movement has formed; its ranks Resistance movement has formed; its ranks swelled by vengeful freedom fighters, survivors swelled by vengeful freedom fighters, survivors of races whose worlds have been annihilated, of races whose worlds have been annihilated, disenchanted Corporation personnel, and disenchanted Corporation personnel, and everybody else that has grown to resent the everybody else that has grown to resent the Corporation’s expansionism.
Corporation’s expansionism.
After only a few centuries, this organization After only a few centuries, this organization has grown to encompass two different has grown to encompass two different levels. On one hand, it has a vast network levels. On one hand, it has a vast network of operatives that attempt to undermine the of operatives that attempt to undermine the authority of the Corporation from the inside authority of the Corporation from the inside through sabotage and propaganda. On the through sabotage and propaganda. On the
other, a small but effective rebel armed other, a small but effective rebel armed force has recently initiated a campaign force has recently initiated a campaign of ambitious hit-and-run actions against of ambitious hit-and-run actions against Corporation outposts.
Corporation outposts.
Calling themselves ‘The Rebs’ (which Calling themselves ‘The Rebs’ (which originally was a disparaging term used by originally was a disparaging term used by Corporation troops), these heterogeneous Corporation troops), these heterogeneous volunteers form an army that is as eclectic volunteers form an army that is as eclectic in weaponry, fighting style and technological in weaponry, fighting style and technological level as in the number of different races that level as in the number of different races that compose its ranks. What the Rebs lack in compose its ranks. What the Rebs lack in cohesion, however, they more than make up cohesion, however, they more than make up in motivation, as they are convinced they are in motivation, as they are convinced they are fighting a long war of liberation to eventually fighting a long war of liberation to eventually rid the galaxy from the Corporation, or the rid the galaxy from the Corporation, or the ‘Evil Empire’, as they often call it.
‘Evil Empire’, as they often call it.
80
80
80
strategy of their strategy of their invasion plans and invasion plans and the battlefield the battlefield reactions of reactions of their many their many and differently and differently specialised specialised fighting
fighting creaturcreatures.es. And dumb animals And dumb animals don’t build spacecraft… don’t build spacecraft…
Asterians
Asterians
Even before Man began its space age, there
Even before Man began its space age, there
had been reports of mysterious beings and
had been reports of mysterious beings and
fey creatures appearing to a few individuals.
fey creatures appearing to a few individuals.
Such sightings are common in the culture of
Such sightings are common in the culture of
all of the races that inhabit the galaxy, not
all of the races that inhabit the galaxy, not
just the human race
just the human race..
Stories abound in the entire Milky Way
Stories abound in the entire Milky Way
about abductions of single persons or entire
about abductions of single persons or entire
communities, the disappearance of ships
communities, the disappearance of ships
into some sectors of space, or even strange
into some sectors of space, or even strange
incidents where a ship has arrived to a
incidents where a ship has arrived to a
spaceport on
spaceport on autopilot, without its autopilot, without its crewcrew..
The most extreme cases have seen the
The most extreme cases have seen the
populace of entire planets or even the
populace of entire planets or even the
personnel of military outposts and bases
personnel of military outposts and bases
vanish, leaving behind only the tiniest signs of
vanish, leaving behind only the tiniest signs of
resistanc
resistance. The e. The Corporation’Corporation’s best s best scientistsscientists
have studied this evidence on a galactic scale.
have studied this evidence on a galactic scale.
Compiling this information for centuries and
Compiling this information for centuries and
analyzing it, they have managed to prove the
analyzing it, they have managed to prove the
existenc
existence of an e of an alien race using a alien race using a technologytechnology
so advanced that they can easily appear to
so advanced that they can easily appear to
have supernatural powers.
have supernatural powers.
Any attempt at capturing them, or merely
Any attempt at capturing them, or merely
communicate with them has led to hopeless
communicate with them has led to hopeless
chases, where the pursuing Corporation craft
chases, where the pursuing Corporation craft
have quickly lost trace of their elusive quarry,
have quickly lost trace of their elusive quarry,
and always in regions of space surrounding
and always in regions of space surrounding
a black hole. This has led to believe that the
a black hole. This has led to believe that the
so-called Asterians must make use of these
so-called Asterians must make use of these
singularities to travel across the galaxy,
singularities to travel across the galaxy,
possibly inhabiting a different dimension on
possibly inhabiting a different dimension on
the ‘other side’. Innumerable probes have
the ‘other side’. Innumerable probes have
been launched into these black holes, but
been launched into these black holes, but
no useful data has ever been retrieved. The
no useful data has ever been retrieved. The
mystery of the Asterians remains unsolved,
mystery of the Asterians remains unsolved,
as more and more systems report attacks
as more and more systems report attacks
by unidentified aliens that hit and disappear
by unidentified aliens that hit and disappear
before reinforcements can b
before reinforcements can be brought to be brought to bearear..