QIRO-ARRENE WARS
Was a series of violent and deadly conflicts that happened prior to the Dominion's official foundation, taking place between the years 57.047 and 58.058 of the Common Era. It was fought between the Arrene Combine and the Qire Clans, the conflicts were sparse and fought in deep interstellar and interplanetary spaces, and combatant casualties throughout the war amounted to an estimated of 30 to 60 million due to the intense usage of surrogate troops (clones & specters) and automated fleets which are not accounted for, however, it ended with an unsurmountable civilian casualty count estimated at 20 billion towards the end of the war.
In more than one way, both qire and arrene seem equally offensively brutish and at the same time sophisticated to human eyes... Their ferocity and intelectual prowess is unmatched, it seems like cheating evolution - Ian Tent, temporally dislocated Chelok settler
PRE-WAR STAGE
Comparatively speaking, the Arrene Combine had 4-5 thousand year headstart on the mastery of subluminal (slower than light) interstellar travel - though not a lot can be substantially extracted about the arrene pre-stellar era from the Dominion archives - it can be said this species possesses some insight that other do not about the locations and uses of the ancient artifacts across known space. It is uncertain if their rise to power is given by technological uplifting or their own prowess, but it certainly kickstarted a desire to seek more of what they have found in their own system. Following several trains of thought and having the resources and audacity to do so, the arrene sought to improve themselves and their tech through what some conservatives would consider ludicrous and insane quests, complete gene editing, cloning, mastery of neural networks and AI, all fields which could only be improved through the law of large numbers, expanding their society into whatever holes and crevices were deemed fit.
Along this first stage of development, arrene explorers found several chelok peoples in hunter-gatherer societies, which were studied and nearly brought to extinction in the process, for the arrene ways were far too brutal and unsympathetic for them, differences between chelok and arrene are far too many for any significant mass relationships to be developed between the two. Their quest for power brought them to the Osuna system, where they found another fairly 'uncivilized' species, the Ygiv - with whom the first contact could be done through fairly more sophisticated methods such as math and with a base understanding of electromagnetic technologies. And this happened a number of other times with more technologically advanced chelok peoples distributed across known space - the arrene then had quite a history of 'simply' mesmerizing less advanced societies with their tricks and gadgets into subjugation, the tradition of setting up other species in their lower and front ranks can be traced as far back as the first contact era of 51.000 CE (about 13 thousand years ago).
All this noise wouldn't go unnoticed through the depths of space, with the arrene core being much smaller, at some 50 ly radius encompassing 300 systems, 6 of which were heavily occupied - to an extent, the qire homeworld has always known of their existence for all practical purposes, though actively staying silent and building up a sizeable defense fleet in case the arrene brought their combine over. Their initial response upon the discovery of the arrene was to spread out to other worlds and ensure the survival of the species in case the arrene ever got to their homeworld - HOWEVER, something changed between 54.000 and 56.000 CE, instead of expanding more and more, the qire started ever strengthening their response fleet to the point of actually considering a first-strike scenario, during this time period, they've also encountered other pre-stellar human societies, the integration of human culture into qire society might have influenced the whole 'possible alien invasion' thinking.
A qire first-contact armada was allocated to the Forzai system, a well-known frontier system at the time, its purpose was to actively ping radio pulses to get the combine's attention, literally ringing their doorbell with enough weapons to blow up a small moon to pieces...
CIRCA 57.000 CE - Disastrous First Contact
The presence of over ten thousand unknown vessels in the Forzai system was promptly noticed by the arrene authorities, forcing the planet's home defense fleet into full alert. The local fleet was of purely bureaucratic need as the combine was believed to be of no match for terrorists or foreigners, thus not needing this extra layer of protection. The few hundred ships and stations built around Forzai had their eyes focused on the massive armada stationed on one of its four moons, chattering on all channels.
Forzai, known as Fur'shai-er to the Arrene, had been nothing more than a mundane manufacturing and port planet for the Combine before first contact. Its population consisted of just 5 million Arrene and human workers, serving the purpose of producing civilian and merchant ships for private companies. The scattered islands across its oceanic surface were used for various experiments and manufacturing processes.
As tensions rose, the Forzai clone army executed a partial evacuation of the critical population, leaving behind a skeletal crew to engage in a diplomatic stand-off within the lunar perimeter of the planet. Their strategy was to avoid direct conflict at all costs, with the intention of stalling any attempts by the Qire to gather further intelligence on the Combine's military capabilities. This approach was meant to give the main Arrene forces a fighting chance if the situation escalated.
The Qire fleet had arrived with a clear message: they were not an unprepared adversary. They had prepared for the possibility of conflict and were well-equipped for the challenges ahead. Human mediators attempted negotiations, but difficulties in translation fueled unease and tensions soared as the Qire Admirals interpreted the presence of manufacturing facilities for war vessels on Forzai as a sign that the Arrene Combine was preparing for a hostile encounter.
What was intended as a technical dialogue escalated into a catastrophic disaster over a few days. The island chains of Forzai turned into a war zone, and the conflict spanned three weeks, resulting in the Qire fleet taking control of the Forzai system and suffering negligible losses.
CIRCA 57.000 to 57.980 CE - Bounce operations across the Combine Frontier
Following the fall of Forzai to the Qire Clans, the Arrene Combine experienced a period of sparse but intense combat across its frontier territories. The impact of the Qire presence at the Combine's frontier was felt not only by exposed civilian populations but also by the major admirals who oversaw the defense of Arrene space. While the civilian populace feared the escalation of the conflict, the admirals, confident in their advanced weaponry and superior AI and autonomous combat capabilities, saw the Qire as unwittingly provoking a formidable adversary.
Arrene authorities initiated preemptive evacuations of population centers in their frontier regions while maintaining clones and synthetic organisms to continue working on supply lines. They adopted a wait-and-see approach regarding the Qire's posture toward these worlds, aiming to give the impression that their territorial expanse was much larger than it actually was, as whenever they went all they could find was colonization and mining equipment.
The Qire, on the other hand, made deliberate efforts to gauge the Arrene's firepower capabilities through localized skirmishes with local militias. These militias were equipped with just enough weaponry to put up a limited resistance, and their encounters with the Qire armada were intended to provide a distorted picture of the Arrene's true strength.
When the Arrene felt sufficiently prepared to confront the Qire. They initiated contact with the Qire at an uncharted system, deploying a massive mothership roughly the size of an asteroid. Details of this encounter remain fragmented, but persistent rumors spoke of brutal acts committed by Arrene boarding parties on the Qire armada. These boarding parties received orders to leave only enough survivors on the Qire ships to ensure they could operate them and return to their own territory.
This pattern repeated itself across numerous systems, with Arrene ships exhibiting nearly light-speed responses to distress signals from attacked outposts within the Combine frontier. The Qire invaders encountered formidable resistance as the Arrene military sought to repel their advances and protect their territory. The conflict persisted as both sides engaged in ruthless combat, leaving a trail of devastation and uncertainty along the Combine's frontier. The belief that the Arrene were ready to dissuade the Qire from further aggression fueled the flames of war, setting the stage for a protracted and brutal interstellar conflict that showed no signs of abating.
CIRCA 57.987 CE - The Qire Ambush at Olgur
As the Qire gained valuable experience in fighting the Arrene across the Combine's frontier, they carefully planned an audacious ambush in the Olgur system, deep within their own territory. The Qire had been leading an Arrene armada on a relentless chase by employing hit-and-run tactics, jumping between Combine systems to maintain pursuit. The Olgur system served as the stage for a pivotal confrontation that would change the course of the Qiro-Arrene Wars.
The ambush unfolded on one of the many ocean moons of the gas giant Olgur, where the Qire forces executed a meticulously planned operation. They managed to secure an Arrene capital ship, successfully deactivating its self-destruct mechanism. This unexpected turn of events allowed the Qire to gain invaluable insight into the combine's internal structure, military positions, and strategic plans.
With this newfound knowledge, the Qire rapidly and decisively penetrated deeper into Arrene space, leaving a trail of confusion and chaos in their wake. The captured Arrene capital ship became a treasure trove of information, enabling the Qire to navigate the complex web of Arrene-controlled systems with greater precision.
In their wake, the 31st Qire fleet left a trail of devastation. They deployed relativistic kinetic vehicles (RKVs), a type of fast ordinance previously used in ship-to-surface combat. However, the yield set by the 31st fleet was staggering, intended not just to target military installations but to flatten entire metropolises into molten basins of glass,. This brutal and indiscriminate use of RKVs marked a dark epoch in the conflict, resulting in a significant escalation of casualties.
In the following years, the Qire executed a series of strategic maneuvers, exploiting weaknesses in the Arrene defense and bypassing their heavily fortified outposts. Their swift advance took them closer to the heart of the Arrene Combine, with their ultimate destination being the Arrene homeworld, Argost.
57.997 CE - Battle for Aa Rithel begins
As the Qire fleet continued its relentless advance towards Argost, the Arrene Combine scrambled to clear the path of civilian populations in the enemy's trajectory. The urgency of the situation left little time for comprehensive evacuations, and many millions were left behind in the haste to move people to safety. The looming threat of the Qire's arrival cast a shadow of dread over the Arrene populace.
In the Aa Rithel system, where Argost, the Arrene homeworld, was situated, all defensive preparations were completed. Over the years, massive horse-shoe-shaped vessels had been towed into the system's borders, poised and ready for the imminent Qire approach. While the commotion in the system was unprecedented, not all of Argost's population chose to evacuate. Instead, they made a resolute decision to stand and defend their homeworld.
The night sky over Argost was illuminated by the shimmering presence of countless adapted civilian and merchant crafts, combined with the formidable home defense fleet. For several weeks, they waited in tense silence for the enemy's arrival, their determination unwavering.
The Battle for Aa Rithel became a relentless 24/7 light show as seen from the surface of Argost. All radio channels were inundated with military transmissions, both coded and uncoded, as the defenders coordinated their efforts. The home defense fleet put up a valiant resistance, holding off the Qire forces for seventeen intense days.
58.004 CE - Bombardment of Argost
The turning point came when a single Qire warship, 'The Last Whisper', one of the few remaining among the 500 vessels, managed to pierce through the system's blockade. It carried a deadly payload of 50 relativistic kinetic vehicles (RKVs). In less than a day, these RKVs reached Argost, wreaking havoc as they struck random locations within a 1000-kilometer radius of the impact zones. The result was the flattening of entire cities across a hemisphere.
The devastation was catastrophic, wiping out 70% of the local population, only those in ships across the ocean and the far countryside of continents survived. Faced with the overwhelming loss of life and the tragic consequences of the Qire attack, the Arrene Combine had no choice but to immediately declare an armistice. The Battle for Aa Rithel had exacted a devastating toll, forever altering the course of the Qiro-Arrene Wars and leaving an indelible scar on the history of both civilizations.
58.058 CE - Official End of the war
The Treaty of Forzai, which marked the foundation of the Dominion, was a pivotal document that brought an end to the Qiro-Arrene Wars and established a lasting peace in the region of space jointly governed by the Qire and Arrene. Over the past 13,000 years, this treaty has played a crucial role in maintaining peace and stability, but it has also faced numerous challenges and close calls to unrest. It can be summarized as such:
- Forfeiture of Control over Qire Space: The Treaty of Forzai required the Arrene Combine to forfeit control over space within a 10-light-year radius of any Qire world. This provision established clear boundaries and territorial divisions within the Dominion, separating the respective spheres of influence of the Arrene and Qire civilizations. The strict delineation of territory helped prevent territorial disputes and confrontations, contributing to the Dominion's stability for millennia.
- Concession of the Forzai System: The treaty mandated the Arrene's concession of the Forzai system to the Qire Clans. This symbolic gesture signified the end of hostilities and marked a shift in power dynamics within the Dominion. While Forzai had once been a focal point of conflict, its peaceful transfer to Qire control became a cornerstone of lasting peace.
- Reparations and Rebuilding Efforts: The Arrene Combine was required to pay reparations to all Qire clans affected by the war. These reparations included financial compensation and resources to support rebuilding efforts in Arrene worlds that had been bombarded during the conflict. The commitment to reconstruction promoted goodwill and cooperation between the two civilizations, fostering a sense of shared responsibility.
- Restrictions on the Home Fleet: The treaty placed constraints on the activities of the Arrene Combine's home fleet, limiting its movements to the core worlds of the Dominion. This provision curtailed any ambitions of further expansion or conflict initiation by the Arrene. It ensured that the military force closest to Arrene territory remained contained and less likely to provoke tensions.
- Foreigner Inclusion in Fleet Commands: To promote proper representation and prevent any unilateral decisions or conquest plans, the treaty mandated that fleet commands within the Dominion accept foreigners into their ranks. This measure aimed to foster cooperation, diversity, and accountability within the Dominion's military structure.
- Preservation of Pre-Industrial and Industrial Chelok Societies: Recognizing the significance of pre-industrial and industrial chelok societies within the Dominion, this provision safeguards these civilizations from interference and exploitation. Both the Arrene Combine and the Qire Clans commit to protecting these societies' cultural and historical integrity, refraining from direct or indirect interference and non-consensual introduction of advanced technology. Preservation efforts, including documentation and research, are encouraged, and ethical standards and oversight ensure respectful treatment. Importantly, this provision categorically prohibits human experimentation within Dominion space, marking a departure from past practices, and promoting ethical engagement with human civilizations.
