EH: The Hiigaran Federation [Fiction]
So partially in celebration of the recently revealed details on the remastered versions of Homeworld and Homeworld 2 by Gearbox and partially because I've been thinking of revisiting it for awhile now anyway, I've chosen to dig up some of my old Homeworld fan fiction and share it here.
This here is one of several articles I wrote for the fictional "Encyclopedia Hiigara" (not to be confused with the wiki). Earlier I posted the foreword (which you can read here) but this is the first article I actually completed, ten years ago (it's a little weird to realize it's been that long). It focuses on the Hiigarans themselves: their culture, their government, and their history between the end of Homeworld and the beginning of Homeworld 2.
I've rewritten the article pretty extensively, although I've included a link to the original. Essentially, I've cleaned up the language a a bit to help it flow better, while leaving the basic outline and specific details largely in place.
HIIGARAN FEDERATION, THE
Introduction. The Hiigaran Federation is an organization of disparate nations known as "kiithid," united within one confederate government. The Federation was originally loosely organized but the violence of the Dust Wars (see, DUST WARS, THE) inspired a number of legal reforms which have tightened the central government's rulership. In total, the Hiigaran Federation consists of approximately three thousand colonized systems, the majority of which are together divided among twenty-eight kiithid while others are governed by the Federation directly. TOPOGRAPHY
Relief. The Hiigaran Federation occupies at present a little less than 10% of the galaxy’s volume outside of the Core Regions. Hiigara itself is located on the outer edge of the Core, about four hundred to six hundred light years away from its center at Balcora (see BALCORA). The Federation's capital world is lush and highly hospitable to life, although somewhat sparsely populated for its size (see HIIGARA).
Human landscape. Before the Hiigaran Federation came into ownership of its outlying colonies the majority were under the rule of either the Taiidan Imperium (see, IMPERIUM, TAIIDAN) or the Frerrn Aggregate (see, AGGREGATE, FRERRN). Policies under both governments led to the rapid industrialization and economic development of most of these worlds, meaning that by the time Hiigaran rule was established most were already fairly prosperous, a few even more so than Hiigara itself. On rare occasions planets that had not already been colonized or terraformed were brought under Hiigaran rule, including a few inhabited by pre-jump civilizations. This has been the exception however and for the most part Hiigara has expanded into formally governed by either the Taiidan or the Frerrn.
POPULATION
When the Federation was first established its population was overwhelmingly Kushan (see KUSHAN), the ancient inhabitants of its capital world, Hiigara. With the Federation's recent expansion during the Dust Wars, however, the Kushan have become a minority, although they still wield most of the power economically and politically. The largest non-Kushan populations in the Federation are the Taiidan and the Frerrn. The Frerrn in particular now make up a plurality of the Federation's inhabitants, since a large portion of the Aggregate was absorbed during the Dust Wars.
Historical Perspective. The Kushan. The original natives of Hiigara, the Kushan, originally called Kushaana (see EMPIRE, HIIGARAN), were in the ancient past one of the galaxy's preeminent powers and Hiigara's recent ascent is largely seen more as a renaissance (or revanchism) and less so a new development. After the collapse of the old Hiigaran Empire (see SAJUUK, WAR OF), a sizable portion of the population was forcibly relocated to the desert world of Kharak (see KHARAK) and the Taiidan became for a time Hiigara's dominant culture. However, not every Kushan was exiled and many remained on Hiigara, albeit as subjects to the new order. Recently uncovered genetic evidence also suggests interbreeding between the Taiidan occupiers and their Kushan subjects was actually fairly common, probably through the use of technologically aided reproduction. With the return of the Kushan Exiles during the Homeworld War (see HOMEWORLD WAR) however, there is no question now who predominates.
The Frerrn. The expansion of the Frerrn Aggregate before the Dust Wars led to the Frerrn occupation of many worlds now governed by Hiigara. Largely as a consequence, the Frerrn are now, in fact, the majority of Federation citizenry. However, because Hiigaran colonists have taken many of the jobs and positions once held by Frerrn, the Frerrn are disproportionately disenfranchised in the Federation. Despite the large population of Frerrn located natively within the Hiigaran Federation, the immigration rate from Frerrn worlds outside of its governance is relatively light, even as the remnants of the Aggregate fight a desperate war for survival against the Vaygr warlord Makaan (see VAYGR DOMINION).
The Taiidan. Although smaller in numbers than the Frerrn, the Taiidan slightly outnumber their new Kushan overlords - again, due largely to their historical domination of the region. Were it not for the splintering of the Taiidan Empire, the Taiidan population would likely exceed even that of the Frerrn. During its early, formative years the Taiidan Republic (see REPUBLIC, TAIIDAN), hoping to avoid civil war, held a number of plebiscites, allowing several worlds outside of the Republic's core region to choose whether or not to stay with the new government. Although some chose to remain a part of the Republic, many seceded and large numbers of Taiidan colonists afterward were either driven out or left out of spite. Because of the alliance between the Taiidan Republic and the Hiigara Federation, Taiidan as a rule hold more power than their Frerrn counterparts, especially in the private sector, thanks in large part to the large number of Taiidan colonies along the galaxy's principle trade routes. With the recent annexation of the Taiidan Republic by the Vaygr, the Taiidan population has swelled even more in recent years, with a large number of a Taiidan refugees fleeing into Hiigaran space.
The Regvali. Historically dominated by the Taiidan Empire and Frerrn Aggregate a like, the insular and highly religious Regvali are another one of the Federation's more numerous peoples. Initially seeing the Hiigarans as liberators, the Regvali has been disappointed by the new order, which has not actively discriminated against them but which hasn't alleviated the many economic and political inequalities the Regvali experienced under previous governments either. A few Regvali have prospered, however, and they generally see themselves as better off now than they were a few generations earlier. Before the Regvali were conquered by the Taiidan Empire, they ruled over a fairly sizable territory, most of which is now located in Hiigaran space, which accounts for their high numbers.
The Turanics. Although the regions governed by the Hiigaran Federation did not historically include a large number of Turanics, the invasion of the Great Wastelands by the Vaygr under Makaan has driven a large number of the space nomads into Hiigaran space. Due to historical prejudices as well as their role in the Kharak Genocide, Turanics are viewed negatively by a large number of people within the Federation, though their recent status as Hiigara's allies during the Dust Wars means the degree to which they are accepted and tolerated varies from one system to the next.
Other groups. Aside from the aforementioned races, a great number of other cultures can also be found within the Hiigaran Federation. Of the galaxy's estimated two hundred sapient species, about a third can be found in some small number within Hiigaran space. This is mainly due to the widespread nature of hyperspace technology, which makes interstellar travel relatively easy, promoting trade and migration. Another significant factor is the widely dispersed nature of Hiigaran territory, which is spread across a relatively large area of the galaxy. Among these visitors are a number of Vaygr crusades which hitherto has taken little interest in affairs outside of the Reaches.
Languages. Within the Hiigaran Federation ther are two official language. The first is Galactic Common, the official trade language of the galaxy itself. The second is Kushan-la, the native tongue of the Kharakian Kushan. Kushan-la is mostly spoken on Hiigara itself or within the Inner Rim colonies, while Galactic Common is more commonly spoken in the outer regions of Hiigaran territory. Despite the preference of many races for their own native languages, Hiigaran law has promoted the usage of either Galactic Common or Kushan-la in public schooling, which means the use of other languages has gradually dwindled.
Galactic Common. Established by the Galactic Council (see GALACTIC COUNCIL, THE) as the galactic trade language in 6148 GSY, Galactic Common is based on an ancient ancestor of Kushan-la. However, due to the long amount of time in which the Kushan were exiled to Kharak, Kushan-la has changed dramatically, resulting in the two languages resembling each other very little. Galactic Common itself has stayed almost entirely the same, largely due to its use entirely as a secondary language within diplomatic or business channels (with the exception of a few communities). Although Kushan-la is the preferred first language of most Kushan, the Federation has adopted Galactic Common as its official language for matters of state.
Kushan-la. The most popular language for Hiigaran media as well within Kushan homes, Kushan-la is the native language of Kharak. Despite Galactic Common’s special status, many Kushan, even in official matters, use the language habitually and it is without a doubt a privileged tongue within the Federation. Because it is a living language with many speakers Kushan-la evolves at a regular pace and has changed significantly in just the hundred years since Hiigaran Landfall.
Taiid-Ara. Although nearly every Taiidan in the Federation can speak Galactic Common many have a nationalistic preference for their native tongue, making Taiid-Ara another frequently heard language in Hiigaran space. The long dominance of the Imperium is another significant factor and many non-Taiidan are also familiar with the language, helping to make it the most prevalent unofficial language in the Federation.
Religion. Sajuuk is at the center of most religions in the Hiigaran Federation, both Kushan and otherwise. The native Kushan religion is itself focused on a large array of deities, with He Whose Hand Shapes What Is at the pantheon's head. However, the most popular religion within the Federation is that of the Taiidani, which like the Kushan is Sajuuk-centered, but is monotheistic, rejecting all other deities as false. The main exception to either of these two faiths is the religion of the Regvali, which has maintained its ancient traditions of ancestor worship and the veneration of historical kings throughout its long domination by other peoples. Atheism is also fairly common.
Demographic trends. Although Hiigaran death rates are about average for developed regions of the galaxy, the Federation has drawn attention for some time due to its extraordinary birth rates. The high rates - with a mean of about eight children per mother - are partially the consequence of deeply held religious convictions from their days on the desert world of Kharak. Mostly, however, they are the result of a coordinated and prolonged attempt at social engineering by the Hiigaran government itself. After the Kharakian Genocide brought the numbers of the Exiles down to just over half a million there were serious concerns that the Kushan population might not be able to defend itself or that it might be a permanent minority on Hiigara. In response to this the Daiamid (see DAIAMID, THE) instituted policies which both heavily taxed birth control while subsidizing fertility treatments. Women seeking an abortion were now required to apply for a license, increasing the rate of pregnancy still further. Although extremely controversial these policies - along with the naturally long reproductive span of Kushan women - helped to increase the Kushan population by more than twenty fold in just over a century. In addition to the growth of the Kushan population, war in the Outer Rim has resulted in an increased influx of non-Kushan immigrants. ECONOMY
Hiigaran imperialism. Although in principle a liberal and democratic government, the Hiigaran Federation has been accused of imperialist aggression throughout the last few decades, a claim that is not without merit. After its involvement in the Dust Wars, the Federation chose to annex the worlds its had occupied, rather than releasing them into self-government, claiming stabilization as their primary aim. However, while it is true that some worlds have undoubtedly benefited under Hiigaran rule, it is undeniable that Hiigaran policy has benefited Hiigara first and any colonies under its rule secondarily. Many systems have been strip mined, resources exploited for the Core's benefit. Internal trade policy within the Federation has also benefited Hiigara, exporting goods to the undeveloped regions of the Federation while importing raw materials at a low price. These policies, together with Hiigara's advanced technology, have helped to recently make it the richest economy in the galaxy.
Agriculture. Agriculture is a thriving industry in the Federation, particularly on Hiigara itself, which is more than capable of supplying the needs of itself and many of its neighboring worlds. Lush and verdant, the agricultural bounty of Hiigara and other worlds like it have become a major export for the Federation, particularly to the Outer Rim. Grain is the main export, though tubers, fruits, roots, animal products, and foods rich in mild stimulants like caffeine are also popular.
Mining. Since the Landfall, mineral extraction has been one of Hiigara's foremost industries, both on colonies and in space. Mining methods have grown more advanced for terrestrial mining over the last century and the Hiigarans have kept up with these advances, allowing them to drill farther and better than ever before. The most profitable mining is done offworld, however, an industry advanced significantly by Kiith Somtaaw (see SOMTAAW, KIITH) in the early days of the Federation. After the Dust Wars the Hiigaran Daiamid ordered the Somtaaw to give up their technology to public ownership and as a result the Worker Mk.3 became the standard resourcer within the Federation. Permanent bases are also common on those larger asteroids too large to strip mine quickly with resource collectors.
Industry. Although far from a primitive world, Hiigara is actually less industrialized than many of its colonies. This is due primarily to a long history of conservationist policies put in place by first the Hiigaran Empire and then the Taiidan after them, which have restored much of Hiigara's ancient wilderness and reduced the level of urbanization. This has provided Hiigara with a fair amount of tourism, although many groups have pushed the Daiamid for further development. Outside of Hiigara there are some colonies which remain largely undeveloped but the vast majority were fairly far along in their path to industrialization before Hiigara acquired them.
Transportation. Terrestrial transport. For private use, hovercrafts are common across both Hiigara and its colonies, although in the outer colonies hovercraft are built to cheaper standards, skimming over the ground but unable to lift higher than half a meter at maximum power. Additionally, for both recreational use and as a celebration of their life on Kharak, the Kushan have brought the sandsail (see SANDSAIL) to Hiigara. Though there are few deserts on Hiigara to use them in, sandails have become popular on both beaches and on Hiigara's colonies. Additionally, the sandsail has been redeveloped for use on water.
Aerial transport. For flying at heights over over two hundred feet the Hiigarans make use of a large number of aircraft. Long-distance commercial flights often occur on planes built spaceworthy, with the ability to dock with stations in orbit such as the original Mothership. Compared with travel by train or water-going vessel, flight is the most popular choice for long-distance travel on Hiigara.
Interstellar transport. Although conventional drives are available for traveling between planets within a star system they are rarely used for anything but the briefest journeys, given the much higher speed and relatively low costs of hyperspace travel. The main exception to this rule are luxury cruise vessels, which intentionally travel as sublight within a system to accentuate the effect of their many diversions. Ironically enough these same ships are nonetheless often equipped with state-of-the-art hyperdrives, capable of outpacing most of their competitors, even if they are rarely used.
Although the Hiigarans are one of only three governments in possession of a Progenitor (see PROGENITORS, THE) far jump hyperspace core they, like the Bentusi (see BENTUSI, the) before them have failed to successful reverse engineer its properties and as a consequence the Daiamid has had the far jump core stored away for some time. Instead, the Hiigarans, like every other spacefaring government in the galaxy, make use of the much less efficient short jump drives (see HYPERDRIVE) for both public and private use. In order to speed interstellar travel up, the Daiamid has commissioned the construction of several new hyperspace gates within their territory and has also purchased the use of slipgates (see SLIPGATES) located outside of it. Together these policies have helped to maintain the Federation's military supremacy.
Recent developments outside of Hiigaran space have challenged these policies however. Most significantly has been the discovery of a new far jump drive by the Vaygr warlord Makaan (see MAKAAN), who found this third core within the Hethlim Ice Fields (see HETHLIM EXPEDITION, THE), bringing him and the Vaygr he rules up to the same level as the Hiigarans and the Bentusi. This upset to the balance of power has caused no small amount of worry for the Federation and there has been some discussion as to whether or not to bring the Hiigarans' own far jump drive out of storage. GOVERNMENT
The Constitution of 98 AHL. The Constitution of 98 AHL (see HIIGARAN CONSTITUTION) is a major revision of the original constitution approved by the Daiamid's predecessors on Kharak over five hundred years ago, at the start of the Age of Reason (see REASON, AGE OF). While previous to this there had been several amendments and revisions made, none were near as extensive as the reforms of 98 AHL (9608 GSY). After the Dust Wars tore the Federation apart in civil war, the victorious parties chose to make several revisions to prevent another such schism. The first change at hand was to increase federal control of the military with the formation of a new Hiigaran Navy (see HIIGARAN NAVY), a fleet which held no loyalties except to the safety and security of the homeworld itself. Other changes included new financial powers for the Daiamid and the removal of independent diplomatic authority from the kiithid. One reform which was proposed by rejected was the election of kiith leaders, which was proposed by Kyostii Paktu-sa but rejected by Kiith Naabal and other kiithid as an attack on their traditions.
Legislative. Compared to many interstellar governments, the legislature of the Hiigaran Federation is somewhat unusual. There is no central leader or chief executive office for the Federation, just a conglomeration of representatives from the kiithid, who make all major decisions jointly and by majority rule. The closest thing to an official leader is the Sa of Sas, a position first held by Karan S'jet (see S'JET, KARAN), though it has historically been almost entirely ceremonial. The Daiamid is made up two houses, one lower and one upper. The lower house, which passes most domestic legislation, is made up of representatives based upon population of each kiith, with one representative standing for a maximum of two thousand citizens. These representatives are nominated by their kiith-sa and then elected by the kiith's membership. The upper house on the other hand, is made of the kiith-sas themselves, who in many cases inherit their seats from their predecessors. There is only one kiith-sa per kiith and together they are responsible for state diplomacy, trade, and military policy. The upper house also has the ability to block legislation passed by the lower house with a super majority. Judiciary. The Supreme Court of Hiigara's membership is appointed by the lower house of the Daiamid, with each justice serving for life (or until retirement). Alongside the usual functions of a supreme judiciary, such as serving as the final court of appeals or ruling on a law's constitutionality, the Supreme Court holds a few unusual powers. Among a few are its control over the Federation's police forces and most other branches of internal law enforcement. CULTURE
Cultural milieu. Hiigaran culture is significantly dominated by the Kushan, although their recent return to power means that the influence of the Taiidan and the Frerrn is very much in force. Together the three cultures have created a rich blend of traditions and languages that make the Federation as cosmopolitan as the Imperium ever was and far more than than the Kushan were on Kharak. Many of the traditions of Kharakian life still remain popular among the Kushan, such as sailing and ceremonial duels. Men and women both are held equal before the law, as they were on Kharak. Taiidani sports that remain fairly popular , such as vaermyl. The Frerrn code of honor has also made its way into military life, especially among the young. Among those cultures least willing to blend are the Regvali, who keep to themselves and make little influence upon culture, for good or ill. Patriarchal and deeply religious, the Regvali's most significant contribution to Hiigaran culture is their annual festival in which they celebrate their culture and religion by appointing a God-King to worship as the reincarnation of their supreme god, Xachila. Although the tradition has little religious value to most Hiigarans, a secularized version of its practice has become quite popular among non-Regvali. HISTORY
To read about Kushan history before 1 AHL see KUSHAN FEDERATION, THE and HIIGARAN EMPIRE, THE AFTER LANDFALL The promised land. The story of the Kushan Exodus to Hiigara is widely known and often told. In a matter of months, the survivors of the Kharakian Kushan traveled from the desert world of Kharak to their ancestral homeworld. A major turning point in the history of both the Kushan and the civilized galaxy, the return to Hiigara was not only the end of a 3000 year long exile, but the end of the Taiidan Imperium.
By the ancient Kharakian dating system, the Kushan people returned to Hiigara in the year 1216 (9510 GSY). In honor of the momentous occasion, however, Kiith S'jet declared the beginning of a new calendar the day the returning Kushan first set foot on their new homeworld. By decree, the Hiigaran Landfall marked the first day of a new year 0. From that time on, "days" have been measured by Hiigara's period of rotation, and "years" according to the revolutions of Hiigara around its mother sun.
The following decade was a time of both great celebration and great adversity for the Kushan people. Nearly 550,000 survived the Exodus from Kharak, but their culture has been subjected to tremendous stress. There was not a single aspect of Kushan existence that they were not forced to reexamine in light of their new circumstances. Even the simplest things, like providing their population with food and shelter, proved far more complicated than had been imagined initially.
Defending themselves became the Daiamid's primary concern. The Bentusi and the new Taiidani Republic established a small buffer zone around Hiigara, a region approximately five light-years in diameter. Anything within a five-light-year radius of Hiigara was considered Hiigaran space. The warrior kiithid were forced to maintain constant patrols to keep Hiigaran spaceways from being overrun, not only by the mongrel ships of the pirate races, but by the last bitter remnants of the Imperial Fleet.
The Mothership, which once carried the Kushan safely across 35,000 light-years of uncharted space, is no longer fully operational. Deprived of the conscious direction of Karan S'jet, who had removed herself its core, the Mothership's engines were set on automatic and it went on to serve as an orbital space station and shipyard. Manned by a skeleton crew of 8,000 engineers, the Mothership provided living quarters for those working in low orbit and She birthed over 30 carrier-class ships between Lndfall and the Beast War (see BEAST WAR, THE). The result of this phenomenal output were a new Hiigaran navy, consisting of six great fleets; with each kiith taking command of an autonomous carrier group. The fleets of Manaan (see MANAAN, KIITH), Soban (see SOBAN, KIITH), Naabal, LiirHra (see PAKTU, LIIRHRA), Paktu (see PAKTU, KIITH) and Kaalel (see KAALEL, KIITH) took turns patrolling the outer systems, guarding Hiigaran trade routes, and defending Hiigara itself.
Addressing the practical concerns of the Hiigaran people was hard enough though; up until the year 11 AHL (9521 GSY), food rationing was common and on the surface of Hiigara thousands were engaged in construction. Difficult as it was to provide for their practical needs, however, providing for their Kushan people's political needs was far, far more troublesome. Kushan society was in a state of flux after the Exodus; finding some way to give all of the kiithid a fair say in government was a serious problem, and no one was entirely satisfied by any solution.
The New Daiamid was completed in the year 4 AHL (9514 GSY), the crowning glory of the planetary capital at Assam Kiith'sid. The Daiamid Assembly was still the main governing body of the Kushan race, although during its early days its detractors claimed that the New Daiamid couldn't rule as fairly as its predecessor on Kharak had. Such hotheads denounced the assembly as a sham and maintained that a few families wielded too much power. There was some merit to this accusation; over one-half of the Kushan population now belonged to one of six kiithid, and by virtue of sheer population the major families held tremendous influence.
The Paktu, the Manaani, the S'jet, Naabal, LiirHra, Kaalel and Sobani were by far the largest kiith groupings in existence, and their combined numbers came to almost 300,000. By contrast, the majority of other kiithid on Hiigara could boast a few hundred souls at best; most were lucky to have even that many. In some cases, kiithid which were once over 100,000 strong on Kharak now possessed only 30 or 40 members. These smaller kiithid were collectively known as the Sleepers, because most of them spent the voyage from Kharak in cryogenic suspension. Coming from all walks of life, the only thing that these men and women held in common was their powerlessness in the Daiamid system. Unable to compete with large kiith that could lay claim to half a continent at a time, exhausted by years of struggle for a voice in the Assembly, many of these small kiithid gave up the fight to establish a power base for themselves on Hiigara. Dozens of Sleeper clans chose to abandon their ancient names and become vassals instead, joining their bloodlines to powerhouses like the Paktu or the Naabal; surrendering to necessity was an ancient tradition among the Kushan.
The awakening. The awakening was hard for most Sleepers though, regardless of their kiith identity. 92% of the Exile population at Landfall traveled from Kharak to Hiigara in cryogenic suspension and upon arrival on Hiigara, most faced a very rude awakening. There was good news, of course. Every Sleeper was delighted to hear that the Mothership and its crew had arrived safely at Hiigara, that the mystery of the Kushan race's origins had been solved and that the oppressive regime that banished them to the far reaches of space had been defeated. But there was very, very bad news as well: and unlike the Mothership Fleet's crew, the Sleepers had no month-long struggle for survival to cushion their shock and horror when they heard that Kharak had been destroyed.
No one awakened on Hiigara without an immediate burden of grief and loss… and sometimes guilt and anger as well. When they went to sleep, most Sleepers had accepted the possibility that they would never see their loved ones again, but it was generally assumed that those onboard the Mothership would be in far greater danger than those left behind on Kharak. The Sleepers began their mission with a willingness to sacrifice themselves, secure in the knowledge that their own families and friends would carry on and remember them, if worst came to worst. The irony of finding that the crew of the Mothership and its convoy were the only survivors of Kharak was too much for many to bear. In the first few weeks after Landfall, there were dozens of suicides.
Volunteers for cryogenic sleep had been forced to meet some basic criteria for useful skills, age, and health. This seemed extremely reasonable at the time, simple common sense; but some of those practical decisions had cruel consequences in hindsight. For example, no persons under the age of 17 or over the age of 50 were accepted; the freezing process was considered too great a risk for those not in optimal condition. There were no children aboard the Mothership, nor any elders. When Kharak burned, the majority of Sleepers lost their blood links to both past and future and were left with nothing to hold on to but a few seconds of torturous satellite footage… pictures of their loved ones being burned alive by the Taiidani Imperium.
The Burning of Kharak kindled a great hatred in the Kushan people. The savagery of the Imperial attacks both on Kharak and on their own cryogenic storage units filled the Sleepers with what can only be described as bloodthirsty rage… and as many have pointed out, watching the video footage of the Emperor's personal guard being cut to ribbons was not the same as being there! For generations, Hiigaran society still boiled with resentment of the Taiidani. Most of the Kushan people were capable of distinguishing between the Imperium, which wronged them so cruelly and the Taiidan Republic, which was ruled by the Rebels who helped the Kushan win back Hiigara… but not everyone did. With the constant threat of Imperialist rule, for many Kushan, the only good Taiidan was a dead one and even the moderates began pushing for the annexation of nearby former Taiidani worlds in the name of security for Hiigara.
No one embodied the Kushan hatred of Imperials more perfectly than the man known as Iifrit Tambuur-sa. Iifrit was the last living member of the Tambuur kiith (see, TAMBUUR, KIITH) and after Landfall he spent most of the remainder of his life in the Taiidan Republic. Tambuur-sa and his young wife, Dava, were the only members of Kiith Tambuur who made the Gold List back on Kharak; both of them were chosen as Sleepers, and they were frozen side by side some months before the Mothership was launched. Unfortunately, when the Taiidani burned Kharak, they also turned and opened fire on the orbital cryogenic storage units; Dava Tambuur's life pod was one among many to be irreparably damaged, and she died in transit to Hiigara.
When Iifrit Tambuur awoke from cold sleep, he found that he had lost not only his entire kiith, but his beloved wife as well. He declared Paau’ra on the Taiidan Imperium and several Kushan survivors who sympathized with his cause became honorary members of Kiith Tambuur, in order to share in his "eternal vengeance." Out of respect for the ancient vow of Paau’ra, Tambuur-sa and his people were granted the use of a small frigate, with which he went on to become one of the most famous bounty hunters in the Inner Rim, credited with collecting the heads of hundreds of Imperial war criminals.
The struggles of the New Daiamid. Despite the Kushan victory over the Taiidan in the war that had passed before many were left with old rivalries, though the hope of the Mothership had been that all kiithid would be united once and for all. However, this was not to be. Despite the remaining kiith elders’ greatest attempts the kiithid would not stand united, though thankfully they would not war among one another either.
One of the first struggles was the situation of the Somtaaw and other minor kiithid. The few survivors of the formally powerful Kiith Hraal (see, HRAAL, KIITH) resulted in their merging with the now much larger Kiith LiirHra which had once rebelled against them. This sense of irony only spirited other larger kiithid, most notably Kiith Naabal, into trying to absorb the smaller kiithid. This included Kiith Somtaaw, the ancient mining and religious kiith who had proven invaluable during the Homeworld War crewing resource collectors.
The result was a two-year struggle going from the end of 6 AHL (9516 GSY) all the way to the middle of 8 AHL (9518 GSY) when Kiith Naabal voted to allow the smaller kiithid access to the Mothership Station, now simply a skeleton ship. The Somtaaw, who had already drawn up ship designs of their own, used the Mothership Station to its fullest possible use, building the Kuun-Lan and Fal-Corum quickly, along with the small science vessel Clee-San. A few other kiithid followed although some, like Kiith Niirfa (see, NIIRFA, KIITH) did not possess the necessary leadership to unite and gain access to the Mothership and instead partnered with larger kiithid for access to space.
Other incidents followed involving the minor kiithid and in time the Somtaaw became the most powerful of them; the spokespeople for the “oppressed”. Overtime, however, other issues arose, mostly regarding the trials of war criminals on both sides. Several captured Kadeshi (see, KADESH, THE GARDEN OF) and Taiidan were among those who underwent trial but the most famous of the trials throughout this period was that of the disgraced Pateer Paktu-sa (see, PAKTU-SA, FLT. ADMR. PATEER).
Another major struggle was continued conflict with the Imperialists (see, IMPERIALIST FACTION, THE TAIIDAN). After the fall of the Imperium during the Homeworld War the rebel factions seized control of the the Imperial cloning facilities and destroyed them while seizing the trade world of Triistara as their capitol world. Those still loyal to the Emperor found themselves on the run and fleeing to the Turanic Raiders (see, BANDIT KINGDOMS, THE) for aid and protection.
But even with their diminished numbers, the Imperialists remained dangerous. Using hit-and-run raids and concentrated attacks on weak points of the Republic and Federation they were able to severely hamper the stability of the Inner Rim for decades. Four times before the Beast War they attacked Hiigara. Each time they were driven back, but at heavy cost. However, the greatest advantage the Federation held was that the Imperialists, like their Turanic allies, were divided and without a central leader to rally around.
WAR AND INSTABILITY The Beast War and its aftermath. The Beast War, conducted fifteen years after the Homeworld War, was a severe blow to both the Taiidan Republic and Hiigaran Federation, resulting in Frerrn supremacy over the galaxy for nearly a century. More costly in lives (for the Taiidan) than the Homeworld War before it, the Beast War resulted in over fifty million Taiidan casualties, thirty million Frerrn, five million Turanics, and luckily for Hiigara, only four thousand Kushan casualties.
Due to Kiith Somtaaw's initial attempts to keep the Beast a secret, the Hiigaran government was not even aware of the Beast until after receiving a distress call from the Bentusi, to which the Manaani carrier Caal-Shto was dispatched as aid. When the truth was discovered, the other kiithid were initially filled with outrage at the Somtaaw before rallying together to fight their new enemy. In the long run, the Somtaaw's clandestine research would deepened the distrust between the kiithid.
After months of warfare the Beast were defeated at the conclusive Battle of Nomad Moon (see, NOMAD MOON, THE BATTLE OF). Although strains of them remained active for years to come, the tide was turned and together the Bentusi, Taiidan Republic, and Hiigarans soon restored some measure of stability to the galaxy. By the war's end all but one strain of the Beast were wiped out and it quickly retreated to the edge of inhabited space after the Kor Incident (see KOR INCIDENT, THE), where it has remained quiet for the last eight decades.
Having licensed out much of their technology for the purposes of fighting the Beast, Kiith Somtaaw profited immensely from the war, despite initial controversy. By the conflict's end, Kiith Somtaaw was both significantly wealthier and more influential than several kiithid of greater size. The Frerrn, who had suffered fewer incursions by the Beast than the Taiidan Republic, also benefited and moved quickly to fill the power gap left by the Imperium's collapse and the Republic's infestation, taking several Imperailist and Turanic held systems within the following decades.
Another political consequence of the Beast War's end was the collapse of the Turanic-Imperialist alliance. Feeling betrayed by the Imperialists, who had covertly allowed the Beast to infest several Turanic systems as part of their secret agreement with the entity, the majority of the Bandit Kingdoms chose to become neutral. In time this provided an opportunity for the Hiigaran Federation, which eventually led to a Turanic-Hiigaran alliance.
As tensions increased throughout the galaxy, two major multistate pacts emerged: the Triple Coalition (see TRIPLE COALITION, THE) and the Alliance of Independent States (see ALLIANCE OF INDEPENDENT STATES, THE). The Hiigaran Federation chose to join neither, though the power Kiith Paktu and Kiith Naabal leaned towards the Alliance, while Kiith Somtaaw became the Triple Coalition's fourth member in all but name.
Due to the heavy costs of the Beast War on the Unbound races the Galactic Council, which had preserved peace in the galaxy up until the Homeworld War, fell apart and its members gradually disbanded, starting with the T-MAT (see T-MAT, THE). At last only the Bentusi remained and they alone were unable to provide much guidance to the younger races or to prevent new conflicts from sprouting up. Among these the most significant was arguably the Somtaaw-Baiiju Conflict (see SOMTAAW-BAIIJU CONFLICT, THE), in which the formerly powerful Turanic clan of Baiiju was forced to give up valuable mining territory to the Somtaaw. The backlash from this among the clans led many to the join the Alliance, who were aligned against the Somtaaw's chief backers, the Frerrn and the Coalition.
The Dust Wars. With the spark provided by the Ramsii Incident (see RAMSII INCIDENT, THE) the devastation of the Dust Wars erupted after years decades of growing tensions. Though initially another small, regional conflict the Dust Wars soon escalated as the interests and egos of the Coalition and Alliance both became involved. As the conflict swept the galaxy, one of the few major powers to remain neutral was the Hiigaran Federation, which distanced itself from the conflict and officially attempted to broker peace, criticizing the combatants.
However, things would soon change. Though the Daiamid earnestly asserted its neutrality in the conflict, attempting to maintain trade with both sides in the conflict, the individual kiithid were not so impartial. In particular, Kiith Somtaaw lent extensive support to the Frerrn and the other members of the Coalition, while Kiith Manaan favored the Alliance, providing escorts for Alliance trade convoys moving through hostile or neutral space. Tensions rose between the two kiithid, formerly friendly to one another, until a breaking point was reached. Gaining access to strategic information shared within the Daiamid, the Somtaaw provided this information to the Frerrn Aggregate, which subsequently launched an attack on the Manaani patrol, destroying it utterly.
When the Manaani discovered what had occurred they were outraged and petitioned the Daiamid for Kiith Somtaaw's censure. As the Daiamid weighed the political consequences of such an action, the Somtaaw entered into a formal treat with the Coalition and the Manaani the Alliance. Their allies soon followed and by 91 AHL (9501 GSY), most of the kiithid had entered the Dust Wars on one side or the other.
Though the kiithid were split the largest and most powerful kiithid chose eventually to side with their traditional allies, the Taiidan Republic, effectually providing the Alliance with the Daiamid's support, even if only unofficially. Within a few months the Naabal, Paktu, and Manaani fleets were fully committed to the conflict. As the Dust Wars spread to further regions of the galaxy, new allies and enemies arose. One such enemy were the Juuda (see JUUDA CRUSADE, THE), a powerful Vaygr crusade that had risen to prominence in recent years, with Aggregate aid and support. As the Naabal, Paktu, and Manaani pushed further into the disputed territories in the Outer Rim, they set their sights on the Juuda, as one of the key powers in the region.
Macabii Juuda (see JUUDA, MACABII) would not prove an easy foe to vanquish, however. Nomadic, like most Vaygr, the Juuda Crusade moved quickly and never stayed in one location for long if it could be helped. Eventually, the Allied kiithid turned to first the Turanic Raiders and then the Vaygr themselves for aid, allying themselves with one of Macabii's restless vassals, the Crusade of Ascalon (see, ASCALON CRUSADE, THE), ruled by a young man named Daved, whose father had been executed by Macabii during the crusade's subjugation some years before.
When the Allied kiithid offered their assistance to Daved he seized the opportunity, taking control of the ships loaned to him and launching an attack upon Macabii's flank. As civil war enveloped the Juuda Crusade, the Coalition's hold on the Vaygr Reaches collapsed and the Alliance moved in. As they did so, they paid little heed to the meteoric rise of Daved and the Ascalon Crusade, concerned with them only as a weapon with which to wound the Coalition.
Then, something changed. In the midst of his Hiigaran-sponsored conquests, Daved uncovered evidence of an ancient weapon located with the Hethlim Ice Fields. Investigating further, Daved's scientists discovered a mysterious power signature coming from the Fields, indicative of a Progenitor device. It was not long afterward that Daved excavated the device, finding it to be one of the fabled far jump cores. Seeing in his discovery the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy of the Sajuuk-khar, the young warlord changed his name from Daved to Makaan, a word meaning "prophet" in the Vaygr language.
With his newfound religious authority, Makaan united the remaining Vaygr crusades and swept into Aggregate territory like a storm, quickly seizing systems the Allied kiithid had struggled to take for years. Many of the Frerrn's allies, such as the Taiidan Imperialists, abandoned the Frerrn Aggregate to their fate and joined their forces with Makaan, hoping to restore their empire through him. As the Aggregate collapsed before him, Makaan turned his ambitious eyes toward the Inner Rim and the Taiidan Republic.
By this point, the Allied kiithid had effectually subjugated the Somtaaw and their partners, brining the Hiigaran civil war to an end. Weary of war and interested primarily in restoring peace and stability to Hiigara, the newly reconvened Daiamid formed a separate peace with Makaan, choosing to take no part in his new conflict with the Republic. The resulting treaty, which left the newly formed Vaygr Dominion and Hiigaran Federation as galaxy's premiere powers, became known as the Treaty of Triistara (see TREATY OF TRIISTARA, THE) and would become one of the New Daiamid's most controversial decisions. Hiigara today. Since the Dust Wars ended Hiigara has been at peace and has gradually worked to rebuild its shaken society. Makaan in the meanwhile has pursued his new, religious agenda with a worrying fervor, assaulting even the Bentusi in his effort to claim all three of the known far jumpers. With only one ship remaining to the Bentusi now, many Hiigarans are worried that Makaan will turn on them next. Among the concerned voices is Karan S'jet herself, who has emerged from her seclusion from public life to urge Hiigara to take a stance against the warlord. For now, however, Hiigara is prepared for peace.
[Images sourced from Encyclopedia Hiigara, Wikipedia, and Homeworld Shipyards]
[Original text located here, on the Relic Forums]
[Most of the sections titled "The promised land" and "The awakening" were taken from the Homeworld: Cataclysm manual]