With the recent terrorist strike in the capital city of Poquli, on the planet Koros, the galaxy has been abuzz with tentative whispers of civil war. Though the bombing caused no civilian casualties, it was a bold attack with significant political implications.
The strike took place on 115, GY 7156 and though the perpetrators have not been identified, the Galactic High Republic has ensured the galactic community they are making significant strides in locating and detaining those responsible. They have stressed that they do not believe the threat level needs be increased and argue the incident is isolated and acted out by a small handful of extremists.
Background: Why fears of civil war?
The Free Nations of the Gothar are the youngest stellar empire within the republic and when the Galactic High Republic aided their civilisation in making the ‘great leap’ 545 years ago the senate was expanded from 100 to 120 seats. Of the new seats, the Gothar received 5. To this day they hold the fewest seats and as such have been unable to exert much influence on the Galactic High Republic.
They have particularly come into regular conflict with the Yldar High Republic, the principal founding member of the republic and the stellar empire who hold 32 seats in the republic, the largest proportion. The Gothar have also voiced suspicion and have requested formal enquiries into corruption at the highest level of the republic, the presidency. This is due to the remarkable statistic that across 14 elected presidencies, the Yldar High Republic have maintained their position as president of the republic.
After the last election, over two decades ago, the Gothar began efforts to create a formal political movement aiming for an expansion of autonomy and restructuring of the aims of the republic. As the years moved forward, this formed into the Galactic Separatist Movement, which has become more militant in desire, aiming for a complete dissolution of the trans-galactic body.
Where do other stellar empires stand?
Holding an over three-hundred-year alliance with the Free Nations of the Gothar, The Koba Autonomy have been vocally supportive of the Galactic Separatist Movement, having their own troubled history with the Yldar. Having displayed savvy political manoeuvring and an aptitude for science and progress, they complement the Gothari aptitude and skill in warfare incredibly well. Their formal pledge of support one year ago made the rest of the senate sit up and take the movement seriously.
After the infamous Linberg Reforms eleven years ago, the Interstellar Padia Corporation have positioned themselves in a unique place. Arguing their expansive trade network is vital to the perseverance of the galactic economy and individual welfare, the IPC have gained political immunity from wars conducted by the Galactic High Republic, allowing them to maintain their service across both parties of any respective conflict. Being the third most influential nation in the senate, and possessing the second largest independent fleet in the republic (behind the Gothar), their neutral stance has caused much concern for republic loyalists.
The Nharr Interstellar Directorate find themselves in an awkward position, politically isolated from the loyalist heartlands of the republic, they could find themselves as a blitz-style target in the early part of any kind of civil war. However, they have also voiced significant displeasure at what they believe are unfair reparations for their suffering during the Ravenous Wars over a hundred years ago. During the wars with the terrifying Nafkan menace, they were the frontline empire in the republic, suffering significant casualties and economic upheaval. They have made no formal pledge to one side of the latest political conflict or the other, and the galaxy waits with bated breath until they do.
The Harmonious Belmacosa Mandate have centuries old political exemption from war within the republic, due in large part to their unique production of Hylar Gas, a substance necessary to most modern medical pursuits. They have tried to use their expanded influence in the republic to act as peacemakers, along with the Serene Fae Commonwealth, who find themselves at the stellar borders of both the Gothar and Koba and wish to avoid war for obvious reasons.
Both the Model-19 Confluence and the Assembly of Jibru Suns have been long time loyalists in the republic, both often voting alongside the active administration. It would be expected that both would maintain that loyalty in the face of war.
What could represent one of the biggest swings in power could come from outside republic borders. The True Vhemm Empire have been nursing centuries old wounds, but never abandoned their grudge against the republic. In GY 7096 their raiders won a significant battle against a republic fleet led by the infamous battleship, the ISS Tribunal, even capturing the battleship. Since, they have been able to reverse engineer republic technology and once disparate warlords have been united under ‘Tural Khad’, a ruthless tactician aiming to form a new Vhemm Empire. Being positioned in the galactic ‘south’, if the Vhemm were to attack during civil war, the heartland of the republic would find itself caught between two strong enemies.
Who was responsible for the Poquli attack?
While there has been a strict ban on accusations being levelled on a political level, many fingers are being pointed one way or another regarding the Poquli attack.
None have dared to outright accuse the Free Nations of the Gothar, but many have whispered discontent at the increasing power of the Datho Family, a criminal syndicate believed to be the largest in the galaxy. By all accounts, the organisation is separate and opposed to the aims of the nation, however accusations have been levelled at the Gothar for not clamping down on their menace. Because of this, the most popular opinion is that the strike was orchestrated by the Datho Family, as a symptom of growing discontent in Gothari space.
There have also been rumours the attack could have been orchestrated by the Vhemm as a means of fracturing the republic before a potential assault. This mainly has spawned from purported eye-witness claims that one of the figures fleeing the scene at Poquli has the characteristic frame of a Vhemm. This reporter thinks it worth stressing conflating the acts of an individual with the intentions of a nation or smaller organisation is baseless and dangerous.
Will there be war?
Nobody ever wants to hear that war is on the horizon, especially war that may be so close to home, but the threat of conflict does seem all the more likely.
Fortunate news is that most galactic warfare is fought in the vast ocean of space, and moves very slowly. The effects most civilians will feel may come to their wallets, surely unwelcome news, but a consideration most galactic, planetary and regional governments will already be accounting for. For now, keep one eye on the tabsheets and petition local officials for an expansion of welfare and asset protection.
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