The Fleet Of The Srom

The Fleet of the Srom

The Fleet of the Srom (FOTS) was rediscovered in 2460 CE and is a generation fleet that launched in the year 2032. Upon recontacting the Zi'Pluax, Jargon Qukala members were surprised to find more than three quarters of its members asleep within cryostorage and only a small number of stewards attending to the helm, cryogenic bay, and hydroponics garden. Members of the bridge crew were equally shocked to see the Qukala. Bridge crew relayed that shortly after the launch of the Zi'Pluax they experienced a major systematic failure in the majority of their equipment, including hydroponics and communication terminals; the sudden failure caused the fleet to lose the ability to sustain itself or call for aid. Due to their situation, for over 400 years the crew of the Zi'Pluax have been within rotations of cryosleep, and by extension, crewmembers have been within the Srom for extended periods of time. This has led to a newfound cultural identity forming within the Zi'Pluax and being universally adopted by all of its members.

Since contact, the Zi'Pluax has declared independence from the Jargon Federation due to their culture and practices being declared deductive by the state, and while under Jargon law the fleet members are recognized as Jargon citizens, they experience little to no interruption from the government beyond preventative surveillance. Members of the Zi'Pluax will often leave the fleet for mandated cultural work from the ages of 100-200, something that has recently been ordered by the bridge crew of the Zi'Pluax, in hopes of attracting more members to the fleet. This can be shocking and disorienting for the Dreamer who has been disconnected from the ship’s Srom and they will often find themselves oversleeping while performing their cultural studies abroad.

OOC Note: Only Skrell are allowed to be from the FOTS. Members from the fleet living out in the Spur outside of the ages 100-200 are incredibly rare and will most likely be considered deserters by fleet command. Skrell from the FOTS living abroad has only been a thing for the past 4 years due to their recent discovery. Members of the FOTS are expected to take Jargon Citizenship in character set-up even though the Fleet does not recognize Jargon as their home entity.

Culture

All members of the fleet are referred to as what is colloquially known as ‘Dreamers’. While the crewman of the Zi'Pluax would refer to their culture as the true path of Weishii they understand and accept the name ‘Dreamer’. Jargon does not recognize the Dreamers and has deemed their cultural practices as an unsanctioned offshoot of the Weishii faith and a deductive behaviour under the social credit system; mainly due to its practices regarding oversleeping. Zi'Pluax members focus on the Srom and its relation to the Skrell psyche and psionic capabilities. Dreamers view the headtail as an extension of the psionic capabilities of the Skrell and therefore they will tuck them into different hats or headgear. Showing your headtail is seen as something deeply personal to members of Zi'Pluax and is only done with those who are deemed especially close. Many Dreamers believe that the inner-mind, the one who inhabits the Srom, is the true self while the outer-body, the one that is awake in real life, is merely a constrained vessel.

Due to their culture, members of the Dreamers treat the Srom very differently than the average Skrell. For instance, these Dreamers have spent such an abundance of time within the Srom that they have begun to form a rudimentary hivemind; albeit not in a literal sense. While their minds are not linked, the effects of the Srom on lying have allowed these members to know virtually everything about each other. Elder Dreamers often refer to themselves as “Disciples of the Srom” due to the amount of power they hold over the scenery and landscape within. The amount of information that is known between Dreamers allows them to easily conjure a near replica of any deceased individual through ‘Srom Manipulation’. While many scientists of the Federation believe that these replicas are merely a hollow shell of memories with no proper soul, the Dreamers believe that the individual has persisted even after death; this is often also seen as a cultural reverence for their ancestors and those who passed. Dreamers are often very respectful of their elders and superiors.

Internal Strife

Many Skrell of the Zi'Pluax were not able to grow accustomed to the constant cryogenic stasis and developed what fleet members called the "Punished Mind". These members were actively sought out and moved to the ships detention area, something locally called the "Containment Zone", so that they would not interrupt the daily workings of the Zi'Pluax. The lower levels of the ship's detention area was converted to stop the transmission of psionics to those in the general populace above. It is said that those of Punished Mind actively poisoned the Skrell psyche with their negative emotions and ideals; causing dark figures to spread throughout the Srom and anxiety to penetrate the wake.

Stewards of the Zi'Pluax would often have to take rotations watching over the Containment Zone entrance to ensure that none of the individuals inside were able to penetrate the barrier. They would dispense what little food and rations were designated to those contained while also seeing keeping an eye on the sub-level. Some say that the madness encased within the Containment Zone is enough to breach the metals and effect those who slumbered close to the border. Fleet command ensured that the stewards assigned to the Containment Zone were of strong psionic aptitude to resist the madness within.

Fleet Roles

Fleet Command

These members of the Zi'Pluax were afforded the bridge hydroponics system and cryogenic bay. Their quality of life is said to be above average with an equal split of time spent within the Srom and awake. Fleet command are responsible for all policy changes and fleet scheduling. To disobey the fleet command is a punishable offense that could warrant removal to the Containment Zone.

Steward / Dreamer

Stewards see to the daily operations of the fleet and ensure that the remaining hydroponics bays, including those on the bridge, are being as productive as possible. They will often have a 75-25 split with the majority of their time being in the general populace's cryogenic bay. Stweards of strong psionic aptitude could also be designated to keep watch over the Containment Zone to ensure that a breach, psionic or otherwise, does not happen.

Cultural Exchange Member

Cultural Exchange members are all Skrell aged 100-200 who were ordered by the bridge crew of the Zi'Pluax to perform mandatory cultural exchange work in hopes of attracting more members to the fleet. This can be shocking and disorienting for the Dreamer who has been disconnected from the ship’s Srom and they will often find themselves oversleeping while performing their cultural studies abroad.

Disciple of the Srom

Disciples of the Srom are members who are aged 200 or over who live in a cryogenic pod for at least 90% of the day. Once a cultural exchange member returns to the fleet they will be awarded with this title. These Disciples are considered Elders of the Zi'Pluax and are given great respect from the younger members of the fleet. Their needs and wants are taken care of by the Stewards on a day-to-day basis.

Punished Minds

These Skrell are members of the fleet whose minds were deemed "too poisonous" to join the general population; causing dark visages to penetrate the shared dream of the fleet. Punished Minds are locked away in the Containment Zone in an attempt to curb their psionic influence. Those of the Punished Mind are evaluated every 20 years to see if their condition has improved. If sizeable improvement is found they may be reintegrated into the general populace. However, reintegration is rare as the Containment Zone is not built to rehabilitate.