Rueltab

History

One of the last files received by the SASV Ophion before its destruction.

Decades after Humanity discovered the Skrell, a joint-survey operation was initiated by the respective nations. Alerted to an astrological anomaly similar to the one noted in Kelo’Hen prior to the Skrellian-Dionae First Contact, however, on a much larger and unprecedented scale not yet seen before. On July 18th, 2378 CE the joint-survey expedition entered the Rueltab System – located roughly a lightyear between the Solarian Alliance and the Nralakk Federation’s shared borders, but as per agreements between the nations was considered rightfully Solarian. An otherwise unassuming red dwarf, with only a singular barren exoplanet for a natural satellite, the joint survey expedition wandered right into the sight of a conglomerate of Dionae with an estimated size rivalling Mars.

Despite the forewarning by the Skrell to remain distant from the voidic Dionae, having experienced their own losses a century earlier, the SASV Ophion proceeded alongside its destroyer escorts closer to the previously thought impossible Titan-class conglomeration. With astonishing agility and manoeuvrability – described by many as watching a fish swim through the sea – the Rueltab Titan launched itself onto the SASV Ophion causing multiple hull breaches and a warpcore explosion that emitted an electromagnetic pulse that ultimately resulted in the lack of any ability for the destroyer escorts to retaliate. Unable to save the doomed SASV Ophion, the joint survey expedition fled into the safety net of civilized space, licking their wounds as they fled.

A consensus among the Nralakk Federation and the Solarian Alliance recognised that without immediate interference on their behalf, the Rueltab Titan would soon become an unmanageable problem; soon thereafter Rueltab and other systems found themselves in a state of emergency, movement within the area was banned completely and failing to comply often resulted in imprisonment. With detachments from both the Nralakk Federation and the Solarian Alliance on standby to engage with the Rueltab Titan, the conglomerate began to realize the tragedy of their attack.

The Rueltab Titan processed the memories and databases that it now had access to, realizing the grave mistake that had unfolded as they discovered their actions led to the death of intelligent beings they had not yet encountered throughout their travels – and that their attack was surely going to be met with retaliation in due time. Those who survived the onslaught by the Nralakk Federation and the Solarian Alliance recall the entire collective experienced intense guilt and remorse for their actions but nevertheless reconciled within themselves that they prepared to defend themselves.

When the joint naval forces warped into Rueltab, they were immediately set upon by attackers sent by the Titan class, resorting to primitive forms of conflict such as ramming and hurling encapsulated material as crude ballistic weaponry towards the fleets. However, after repeated retreats and reformation, the Rueltab Titan crumbled. With almost half of its population deceased, meaning the loss of memories, experiences and skills, it was decided by the Dionae that a final-ditch attempt was needed. Acting as one, the remnants of the Titan cried out their remorse, a song that carried far across the Orion Spur – reaching the Covenant of Xrim, and even Hieroaetheria. Its radiological death rattle is often cited as being the catalyst for the Eternal, a sign that even in death the Eternal awaits to welcome the species. Electronics on the naval fleets within the system were overwhelmed, crippling any further attempt to attack the conglomerate as it splintered into several Ceti. Thus bringing an end to the incursion.

Contact was later established with the fragments that survived, and once they were all consolidated, they were charged with accruing reparations to the Solarian Alliance. Lacking any meaningful resources to exploit in the system, The Solarian Alliance turned the exoplanet into an interplanetary landfill, grounded the remaining survivors, and had them work off their debt by salvaging or processing the landfill. Those that were lucky were eventually transferred to New Gibson, to strip mine the planet and assist in developing it as a major industrial powerhouse in the Middle Ring of the Solarian Alliance. Those who paid their reparations eventually found a community for themselves in Biesel, particularly the Eternal Gardens. New Gibson’s general inhabitability for Dionae has resulted in very little of the original community remaining, most having fled to the Eternal Garden or other places deemed safe enough for the species.

Rueltab I

The Cetus discovered in Kelo'Hen, significantly smaller than the Rueltab Titan, that set forth the procedures for contacting Voidic Dionae.

Having no official name, Rueltab I is the barren exoplanet in which the Dionae were sent to serve out their reparations for their attack on the Solarian Alliance – essentially acting as a large prison for the species. They were unable to depart without authorisation from the Solarian Alliance, and the remorse felt by the entirety of the Titan prior to its fragmentation largely kept the Dionae from even seeking an escape – overwhelmed by grief and guilt for their actions. Between 2378 CE and 2462 CE, Rueltab I acted as a glorified landfill site. Scavenging and hauling for anything not yet stripped was largely left for the Dionae to do. Those with particular knowledge of doing so were often transported to New Gibson for more “nuanced” work. It wasn’t until the collapse of the Solarian Alliance, in the ensuing chaos, that Dionae fled from the system in whatever method they could. Journeying either to the depths of unexplored space or safe harbours such as the Eternal Gardens, Hieroaetheria and the Covenant of Xrim. Those who elected to remain still wander the junk ruins of Rueltab I, merely performing their reparations to a now-defunct and uncaring power.

Culture of Rueltab

Primarily relying on the motifs of the Voidic Proto-Culture, another added aspect for those that survived the Rueltab Onslaught is immense guilt and remorse for the conglomerate’s actions – especially so that their actions directly caused death and injuries to a species that rivalled their own intelligence, something not encountered during their travels. Though many have paid their reparations for their alleged accessory to the atrocities committed, there still exists a deeply imbedded accountability to the Solarian Alliance – so much so that there exists a Stockholm Syndrome-esque bond between Dionae from Rueltab and Solarians. It is not uncommon for Connected to the Blossoms Beyond to pay respect to those lost during the onslaught, both Solarian and Dionae, emphasizing that communication is necessary to ensure the protection of lives.

The Last Vociferation of The Superlative Consensus

The Last Vociferation of the Superlative Consensus, is the name given to the death scream of the Rueltab Titan by most Dionae within the Orion Spur. Every single Dionae, whether in voidic conditions or terrestrial, felt this radiological shockwave, and for many, has served as a wake-up call towards the other forms of sapient life within the Spur.

Among the Voidic, and what would eventually become the modern-day void tamers, the Last Vociferation paralyzed the Voidic Rootsong Network for several months. Each came to their own conclusions, but for most, hearing a Dionae of such magnitude perish was a signal that they were no longer the apex life forms within the void. It became a call to action to investigate Humanity, and the other races, whilst borrowing and utilizing technologies of their own. Upon Hieroaetheria, those nations who would eventually unite into the modern-day Co-operative Territories reared their attention to the stars as Vociferation moved through their planet. For them, it was an omen of vulnerability and a key contributing factor to their eventual interest in their unification.

Among the followers of the Eternal, the story of the Titan and The Last Vociferation is a point of immense theological interest, as the Titan-sized gestalt was the closest any had seen or could remember of a conglomeration growing large enough to be on track to complete the traditional Eternal Cycle. Scholars continue to study the Last Vociferation, for any clues or secrets of the universe, while Gestalts that were part of the Titan that survived are highly prized. As for the Covenant of Xrim, opinions were divided. Being included in the Federation establishment, the Enlightened narrative was one of bitter necessity towards the death of the Titan. The Scorned, however, saw it as the death of another beloved singularity.