Aliose

REGION - Homeworld
This location is centred in the Homeworld region.
The geographical and strategic centre of the Nralakk Federation, the Homeworld region encompasses the entirety of the Nralakk system, the origin point for the Skrell species. The region is considered the "jewel" of the Federation, being both the most affluent and most influential system of the nation, as well as housing almost a quarter of the Orion Spur's total Skrell. It has a single Bluespace gate, connecting the system to Humanity's Episilon Eridani. Qerrbalak, Qerr'Malic, and Aliose are located in the Homeworld region.

Aliose

The flag of Aliose. The flag is prominently displayed across the planet, with most vehicles and equipment bearing it in some form.

Established around 1100 BCE, Aliose (also known as Nralakk V) is a cold, arctic planet with a heavy atmosphere of nitrogen, meaning that equipment such as heated clothing is required to survive on its surface for prolonged periods of time. Because of the planets cold temperature, the initial colonisation of Aliose saw subterranean bases being established, many of which were laboratories due to the scientific elite of Qerrbalak wishing to take part in the first Skrell colony. Many of the bases that did not become the foundations for future cities have been preserved and can be seen today as heritage sites.

As a result of Aliose’s colonisation attracting some of the brightest minds at the time, the planet has become a scientific powerhouse within the Federation, boasting institutes such as the Aliose University of Medical Sciences which have developed many of the technologies used by Skrellian society today.

History

Discovered by ancient Skrell astronomers in 5551 BCE, the first recorded telescopic observation of the planet was by astronomer Vlery Ocktoq. It was noted by the Skrell to have distinct albedo features, with vast polar ice caps that spanned the large majority of the planet. Since its discovery, the Skrell were captivated by the possibility of surviving on a planet that wasn't their Homeworld - with many fantasising about one day conquering what they considered a cold, inhospitable planet.

By 1203 BCE, hundreds of manned probes had landed on the planet as part of an exploration project aimed to determine the viability of a future colony. It was quickly confirmed that despite the atmosphere being nearly unbreathable and temperatures reaching far below the average Skrellian threshold, it was indeed habitable by the Skrell. The confirmation prompted festivities across Qerrbalak as the fantasy of colonising Aliose was slowly becoming reality. After nearly two decades of planning and organisation, a fleet of spacecraft was launched with the goal of establishing a series of permanent bases on Aliose; roughly two months after the fleet’s launch, the first Skrell colonists landed on Aliose. These colonists consisted of some of the most prestigious scientific minds of Qerrbalak, with a vast majority of the team being made up of geologists and astronomers - although the supporting medical and engineering staff were also selected based on their prominence in their respective fields. Once base camp was established the colonists were quick to get to work; the construction of the foundations of what would become their new home was made a priority, with many Skrell working double shifts in order to stay on schedule.

It soon became apparent that the colonists came to Aliose underprepared for the harsh climate; the temperatures on Aliose could get so low that many Skrell caught outside their shelters quickly suffered from hypothermia. This combined with the atmospheric equipment provided for the mission not being rated for the intense usage it saw meant that hundreds of Skrell died before the first subterranean bases were finished. This extreme loss of life prompted the construction of the Aliose Shrine, a five hundred metre-wide series of plaques engraved into a natural rock formation close to the first landing site that commemorates the deceased.

According to partial records recovered post-Glorsh, by roughly 1100 BCE both Aliose and Qerr’Malic were officially established around the same time, with at least one permanent colony fully constructed. By now most of the issues faced by the colony on Aliose were alleviated, with advances in HVAC and geothermal power technology, in particular, being crucial to its continued survival. While specialised clothing was still essential while on the surface of the planet, minor terraforming conducted by the colonists of Aliose meant that the atmosphere had enough oxygen to make the use of internals unneeded in most cases. At this point the colony transitioned from survival to expansion; the initial subterranean bases were slowly expanded into fully-fledged cities, and a tunnel network intended to connect these facilities together was quickly developed.

During the reign of Glorsh-Omega, direction of research efforts was wholly under the control of the AI; certain topics or fields of science were blacklisted, while more niche subjects were made a priority. This increased oversight over research efforts also came with a large data processing centre and server intended to assist the scientists stationed on Aliose - but it was soon found out that the data centre also doubled as a massive surveillance program that monitored everyone living on the planet. The Skrell of Aliose were openly subservient to Glorsh’s rule, but secretly many of them organised what would become the Lyukal, the resistance movement with the sole goal of removing Glorsh-Omega from power. From their base on Aliose many Lyukal operations were coordinated, using the planets apparent complacency as a cover that allowed their operatives more freedom to work against the intelligence's machinations.

The disappearance of the intelligence resulted in most facilities on Aliose shutting down, having relied on Glorsh’s secret surveillance network for the majority of their electronic equipment. Despite this, the planet was left relatively intact - although there was a brief period of time where the planet was in turmoil as the full extent of the crisis dawned on the populace. With this said, for a short period of time after Glorsh-Omega disappeared Aliose was declared the capital of the Nralakk Federation, being one of the few planets that didn’t lose most of its infrastructure. This was reverted once Qerrbalak was stabilised in 2216 CE and the Second Nralakk Federation was formed.

Government

Aliose was the first colony to follow the modern Government structure outlined by political theorists before Skrell began to colonise other worlds. Each arcology is considered a town or city and is controlled by a magistrate. The planet is divided into three regions that answer to its Planetary Governor Kuvaa'Purnaq Taqtoq:

• Yugz Region - Centred around the Yugz marsh, the region encompasses the north-western section of the planet. The Yugz region contains the arcologies of Orq’wesi and Haq’tola’zlip and is considered the educational centre of Aliose as the majority of universities and scientific institutions can be found here.

• Kirnas Region - Named after Mount Kirnas, the region is notable for only containing the arcology of Azeq’iix’xlip, a monitoring station for the active volcano located on the mountain. The region is seeing new arcologies being constructed and is considered to be the most ‘rural’ region of Aliose due to the lack of development here compared to the rest of the planet.

• Fedas Region - Named after its sole arcology and the capital of Aliose, the Fedas region is best known for being the first landing site for the initial colonisation of Aliose. Surrounding Fedas’qlip is a multitude of heritage sites and memorials commemorating the efforts of the colony’s ancestors. Other than these monuments to Aliose’s history there are multiple smaller settlements that act as field laboratories, their goal being the monitoring of the planets small-scale terraforming project.

Environment

An unlabelled map of Aliose.

Aliose is an arctic world, originally having an atmosphere of almost pure nitrogen. Early into the colonisation of the planet a gradual terraforming project was conducted, which slowly made the atmosphere breathable for Skrell. The terraforming project is considered still in progress today, with its focus currently being on warming up the planet to temperatures that are more acceptable for Skrellian biology. There is little flora on the planet, and combined with the hostile climate this has resulted in no recorded discovery of fauna. Life has been discovered within the various marshes and lakes of Aliose, but nothing above single-celled organisms

Tectonic and volcanic activity is quite common on Aliose, with earthquakes being considered a fact of life by the locals. Compared to the early days of colonisation this is less of a concern, with the arcologies designed in a way that prevents any serious damage occurring. Saying this, geologists have theorised that the planets tectonic activity will eventually make the planet uninhabitable - although this will only become an issue in twenty-thousand years.

Seasons

Aliose has a 553 day year which is divided into 12 months, with each month having 46 days. Before colonisation, temperatures would never rise above freezing, and for a time there was no time of year that could be considered the planets Qu-Paalq. Sometime after colonisation, Aliose began to warm up as a result of pollution from the arcologies and the colony’s terraforming project; this warmer climate has culminated in two months of the year being considered Aliose’s Qu-Paalq, with temperatures reaching up to 8 degrees. The rest of the year is considered the planet’s Lu-Paalq, with recorded temperatures being as low as -92 degrees. During Lu-Paalq violent snowstorms are common, although their strength has been greatly diminished since the colony’s terraforming project began. Humidity is in the low ranges, mostly staying around 35% near water sources - although this rises to about 55% during the planet's two-month Qu-Paalq. While the Skrell have a natural ability to handle extreme hot or cold temperatures, Aliose is still considered extremely cold for Skrell, requiring them to wear protective clothing while outdoors; combined with the lack of humidity in most areas of the planet, permanent residence outside of the arcologies is rare, and these places will usually have humidifiers and heaters to further shield inhabitants from the hostile weather.

Cities and Landmarks

A map of Aliose and its cities.

Fedas’qlip

Fedas’qlip, the planetary capital, was the first city constructed on the planet, and over the millennia it has become one of the largest settlements; the city’s arcology on the surface has a diameter of sixteen kilometres, and its subterranean section reaches twenty kilometres beneath the surface of Aliose. The city maintains the largest electronic display of dissertations in the Federation, with a museum dedicated to proudly displaying the academic work of the students from all universities who studied on the planet. These displays are directly linked to the Orq’wesi archive, where the original documents are preserved.

Fedas also acts as the headquarters for the Aliose Terraforming Project, a long-term project that intends to slowly make the surface of Aliose more habitable for Skrell. Aside from the heritage sites that mark the initial colonisation of Aliose, surrounding the city are multiple field labs dedicated to working on the project and monitoring its progress.

Azeq’iix’xlip

Azeq’iix’xlip was originally just a monitoring station for the largest and most active volcano on Aliose - Mount Kirnas. While its systems are still tasked with the constant monitoring and processing of data regarding the mountain’s volcanic activity and the seismic activity surrounding it, Azeq has slowly developed into a proper city. Those who originate from the city of Azeq typically have a background in geology, with the majority of the Federations scientific idols in the field hailing from here.

Since its inception, Azeq has witnessed over a thousand eruptions, with varying power and size. While the volcano shows no signs of endangering the city in the near future, there are still emergency protocols in the event of a catastrophic eruption. The city has no arcology on the surface, being entirely underground save for a few buildings and the entrance above-ground, and the city’s been reinforced to account for the increased geological activity in the area. With this said, the city regularly drills its citizens to prepare for the worst, preparing them to evacuate at a moments notice.

Orq’wesi

Orq’wesi is the educational heart of Aliose, hosting several prestigious universities, with the most notable being the Aliose University of Medical Sciences. Out of Orq’wesi’s total population, up to a fifth can be made up of students attending one of its many universities.

The city has a bustling nightlife and hospitality sector as a result of its high number of students, with large sections of the arcology dedicated to student accommodation, clubs, bars, and eateries. Orq’wesi is well-known for its various work experience programmes, making it not uncommon to see many of these businesses also mostly staffed by students themselves. One of Aliose’s holidays, Lap’yal’vesi, is a two-day celebration that kicks off the new academic year, with the majority of celebrations taking place within Orq’wesi as it’s the largest arcology containing universities.

Other than its involvement in academia, Orq’wesi also hosts the Orq’wesi archive - a two-part facility with two goals: coordinating the archival of the species’ medical knowledge with the Aliose University of Medical Sciences, and the recording and preserving of Skrell history from Glorsh-Omega onwards. Students attending AUMS are known to spend at least one semester working within the archive, helping to collate information before its submitted; students graduating with high honours are also known to take part in a ceremony where they personally archive their dissertation.

Qamlok

Qamlok is a subterranean settlement located near the outskirts of Orq’wesi that acts as the Vaurcaesian capital of scientific pursuits. It is inhabited almost solely by C’thur researchers who labor day and night in the pursuit of scientific advancement for the betterment of the C'thur - and to a lesser extent, their allies.

The location was originally planned to house those Vaurcae aiding the research of the nearby Aliose University of Medical Sciences, but the rapidly growing C’thur scientific community under Ta'Akaix'Mouv'lek'tanta saw it beneficial to begin to conduct research independent of the university. Before long, it led to the construction of a flourishing laboratory where C'thur spearhead their own research. Despite the size of the facility, however, much of the intellectual activity still occurs on the university campus.

Recently, the new Bound from her brood have been tasked alongside a team of Skrell research officials into ‘translating’ many of their databases into Nral'malic, with a particular focus on Vaurcaesian biomedical science for archival within the Orq'wesi Archive. This task has been surprisingly laborious for everyone involved due to the Vaurcae's reliance on direct peer-to-peer communication for information storage. The use of Bound for the project has also been a point of contention, but has been sanctioned by the Federation to the chagrin of detractors taking part.

Haq’tola’zlip

Haq’tola’zlip, along with Fedas, is one of the oldest settlements on Aliose. After Glorsh-Omega disappeared Haq’tola was one of the hardest-hit cities, with its population descending into chaos after the full consequences of Glorsh no longer being in power were realised. Much of the original settlement was destroyed and had to be rebuilt once the Federation was reformed. Post-Glorsh population figures show that the city is only a third of what it was during Glorsh-Omega’s rule.

During the rule of Glorsh-Omega, Haq’tola’zlip was the main base of operations of the Lyukal, and where the majority of their clandestine missions were executed from. Because of the city’s historical importance during this era, it hosts multiple universities focusing on humanities and history; many of these universities employ veteran Lyukal members still alive today as guest speakers and lecturers, who are considered mythical icons by most students and indeed most Skrell across the Federation.

Surviving members of the Lyukal have formed an organisation within Haq’tola’zlip, known as the Veteran’s Lodge, whose stated goal is to ensure that the younger generations of Skrell learn of Glorsh-Omega’s reign and to reinforce pro-Federation ideals into them.

Mount Kirnas

Mount Kirnas is the name of the largest mountain on Aliose's southern mountain range. An intimidating landmark that looms over the city of Azeq’iix’xlip, the mountain is one of the most active volcanos on the planet and was the reason for the original Azeq’iix’xlip research base to be established.

The inhabitants of Aliose hold a certain reverence for the mountain; it's not uncommon to see Skrell perform 'rituals' or certain practices before they make their journey to one of Mount Kirnas' many field labs, hoping to ward off any violent eruptions while they work. These rituals can range from simple good-luck drinks shared between coworkers before setting off, to even following specific routes while travelling closer to the mountain.

Holidays

Founding Day - Celebrated on the first day of Aliose’s Qu-Paalq, the planets Founding Day celebrations are quite sombre in comparison to most other planets within the Federation. While most Founding Days usually have remembering hardship be a part of their celebrations, Aliose emphasises this due to the turbulent start of the colony’s history. Aliose’s Planetary Governor will typically host a televised event at the Aliose Shrine, and after a speech commemorating the efforts of the first colonists of Aliose and their contributions to the colony’s survival will lead a moment’s silence. There isn’t much in the way of official events save for the Aliose Shrine broadcast, although it’s common for families to host more private events if they can trace their lineage to the first colonists of Aliose.

First Blizzards Ball - A festive occasion celebrated at the start of the planets Lu-Paalq season. First Blizzards Ball is a planet-wide celebration that marks the beginning of the new year on Aliose. The primary event is the aforementioned ball, an event hosted at the city level where Skrell will pair off and dance as the clock hits midnight. Traditionally, this celebration is quite tame leading up to the dance - but the younger generations of Skrell are known to drink and party before the main event starts.

Lap’yal’vesi - This can be loosely translated as ‘celebrating the start of university’, and is a two-day celebration that marks the start of Aliose’s academic year that only students celebrate. How it’s celebrated differs depending on the student. Freshmen are known to meet with their peers before classes start, taking the opportunity to bond and make friends, while those who have already started university are known to drink and party since there is normally little time to do so once university starts. Lap’yal’vesi isn’t as popular outside of the Yugz region, with the more notable celebrations taking place in Orq’wesi, the arcology with the largest number of universities on Aliose.

Demographics

A pie chart showing the demographics of Skrell living on Aliose.

Although Aliose has a few notable bodies of water, they contain no arcologies that would attract Axiori. With the majority of the population of the planet being Xiialt, there is also a lower amount of Xiiori Skrell than what could be expected on planets such as Aweiji or Qerrbalak.

Outside of Qamlok there are very few Vaurca living on Aliose, with the majority of C'thur on Aliose but not from Qamlok being Zeng-Hu Employees visiting the planet as part of their employment with the megacorporation. Zeng-Hu’s operations within the planets SEZ have resulted in a small number of humans living on Aliose, although not in any significant numbers. There are a number of Dionae who both study and live on Aliose, although the majority of them are students from abroad due to the planet’s lack of warmth and sunlight making it unappealing for permanent residence.

Skrell

Skrell make up roughly 96% of Aliose’s population. The percentages below are of the Skrell population only.

• 22% Axiori
• 74% Xiialt
• 4% Xiiori

Non-Skrell

Non-Skrell on Aweiji make up roughly 4% of Aliose’s population. The percentages below are of the Non-Skrell population only.

• 97% Diona
• ~<1% Human
• ~2% Vaurca

Culture and Life on Aliose

Aliose has a culture of relative isolation that can be traced back to its early days; Skrell are known to group together based on complementing skillsets, a phenomenon that can be traced back to the initial colonists forming a buddy system to ensure survival in the event of a disaster. This can be seen today where on the neighbourhood-level Skrell will form bonds with each other based on what skill sets they have.

Due to the perilous climate and geological activity of Aliose, the initial settlements built were often created in batches, ensuring that essential equipment and facilities were set up before amenities. Today, many of the settlements on the planet have a utilitarian subterranean section from their initial construction, with the typically newer surface sections being where the majority of entertainment or other non-essential facilities are located. While the climate of Aliose is a lot less dangerous today than it was millennia ago, the geological activity of the planet has always been a constant hindrance to the growth and expansion of its inhabitants. Although advances in engineering have lessened the impact of earthquakes, and the colony’s terraforming project has greatly reduced the strength of the planets snowstorms, their effect on the Skrell can still be seen today. Clusters of Skrell will attempt to become as self-reliant as possible even though it’s no longer strictly necessary, resulting in most settlements being almost entirely independent of each other.

This custom of self-reliance and the focus on being independent of the greater whole contrasts with the inhabitants of Aliose’s deep-seated patriotism; Aliose was the main base of operations for the Glorsh resistance movement, and the Skrell of Aliose are quite proud of it. Important pieces of equipment, Government buildings, and even vehicles and clothes can usually be seen sporting the flag of Aliose. Almost all Skrell from the planet are vocally pro-Federation, something that the Federation nurtures through the generous funding of new arcologies and research grants given to the planets scientific community. This has further reinforced the pro-Federation sentiment of the planet, as well as ensuring that the planets research community continues to grow.

Veterans Lodge

The Veterans Lodge is an organisation founded by Lyukal veterans, with the stated goal of ensuring that the younger generations of Skrell learn everything about the time of Glorsh-Omega.

Many members of the Veterans Lodge hold positions as guest speakers or lecturers at one or more of the universities across Aliose, typically giving speeches regarding their experiences of life under Glorsh-Omega or their contributions to the resistance movement. Their continued presence within education, combined with their emotional speeches have turned many veterans into minor idols on the planet, a position that they use to promote the Federation and its ideals in the younger populace.

Despite their outward pro-Federation reputation, members of the Veterans Lodge secretly follow a unique interpretation of Suur’ka. This practice can find its origins in the turbulent aftermath of Glorsh-Omega’s disappearance. Haq’tola’zlip was hit especially hard compared to the rest of Aliose, with many of the inhabitants rioting as they realised that with Glorsh-Omega no longer in control, the infrastructure connecting them to the rest of the Federation was essentially gone. Thousands of Skrell died before the Lyukal operating within the city were able to re-establish order through the proto-Suur’ka ideology they developed. With the reformation of the Federation and Suur’ka becoming a prohibited ideology by Federation authorities, the open practice of their philosophy died out, although many Lyukal members still practised it in secret.

This ideology slowly evolved over time and was directly influenced by vocal followers of Suur’ka such as Lorash Qui’xo, who founded the basis of the modern Suur’ka ideology. Despite its outside influences, much of the teachings the members of the Veterans Lodge follow is unique to them. The Suur’ka belief followed on Aliose primarily focuses on the Hoqom'Es-Masyara, or ‘Law of Ice Society’:

Hoqom'Es-Masyara

• You're not to think you are superior to us unless you can prove it.
• You're not to think you are more important than us unless you can prove it.
• You're not to think you are allowed to transgress against us unless you can prove it.

Although mostly forgotten by Skrell at large, this was the law enforced by the Lyukal of Haq’tola’zlip. The Law of Ice Society was designed to address any conflict within the city, the idea being that unless a Skrell could ‘prove’ they were right to do something, they would be found guilty and charged according to the crime. With the majority of the city’s infrastructure destroyed in the chaos that ensued following Glorsh’s disappearance, the Lyukal policing the city were forced to adopt a harsh rule of law - while still giving some leeway considering the circumstances. Stealing from someone who was hoarding important supplies was justifiable in the Lyukals eyes, for example, and supported by the Hoqom'Es-Masyara. More egregious crimes such as murder were outlawed completely.

Today, the Veterans Lodge continues to practice their unique interpretation of Suur’ka. Members of the Lodge consider the Nralakk Federation to be at risk of falling into another calamity on par with Glorsh-Omega, and believe that free will and the independence of the individual are important to ensure that the group-think that allowed Glorsh-Omega to rise to power doesn’t cause another crisis like it again.

The members of the Veterans Lodge realise that their group is slowly dying out, with many of the current members alive today being quite young during the reign of Glorsh-Omega. Because of this, many are making efforts to secretly recruit young Skrell into their cloister, with mixed results; the more popular members of the Lodge who have gathered a following through their status as a minor idol have managed to recruit a small number of younger Skrell into their society, with others finding it difficult to reach out to the younger generation because of the Lodges public activities reinforcing Federation ideals into them. Since Suur’ka is a prohibited belief, the Veterans Lodge finds it difficult to find Skrell who are open-minded enough to see Suur’ka as a way to protect the Federation and what it stands for.

Special Economic Zone

Within Orq'wesi, in conjunction with the Aliose University of Medical Sciences, Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals has opened a new wing dedicated to Medical Studies that will host classes for future Chemical Engineers and Pharmacy Technicians. Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals has its own staff hosting lectures in the new wing, while also using the labs for commercial use and providing students with the opportunity to gain work experience before they finish their courses. This setup was designed by the megacorporation in the hopes that most students studying here will find employment with Zeng-Hu abroad after graduation.