Schism

When the wormholes to the Vega and Sirion clusters were opened a flood of disaffected settlers from both the Empire and the Federation came to make a new home. The Union was formed. When the first Union explorers reached Sirion they found a thriving civilization of Keldons had already established itself in the system.

Where had these Keldons come from? How did they get here without the use of the wormholes?

Researchers pried and soon found the answer... It was an event that barely registered at all in the annals of Imperial Keldon history. In a time before the Keldon species had discovered faster than light travel through the fabric of space/time the species nearly imploded in on itself. Over 100 Billion Keldons had spread to every remotely inhabitable rock in the Keldon home system. The sister grandmothers were overwhelmed. Tensions were exceedingly high as the last precious resources were running out.

There was no where else to go. The fusion drives of the day could not propel ships to nearby systems in any reasonable amount of time. Brave voyagers had been sent out decades before the crisis reached its boiling point and were never heard from again.

A contingency plan was developed, life was to rare in the galaxy to see the only known sentient race in the galaxy die in the cauldron that was becoming the Keldon system. A great ship was commissioned. For ten years the industry of the entire Keldon people was united in the effort of preserving the species.

The ship was named the Keeper's Wake. She was the size of a small moon. She was a small moon in fact- plucked from a high orbit over Keldana II. The glow of the achievement did not last long- Who would go? Who would be chosen to escape the inevitable destruction of the Keldon system? Imperial history mentions the outbreak of violent skirmishes on the outskirts of the Keldon system, about this time 1,000 years ago.

What Imperial history also mentions is that at about this time is that the first wormhole to Eta Cassiopiea was opened. The military elite of Keldana I kept this discovery under tight wraps and suddenly relented on their factions claim to the Keeper's Wake. The opposition faction- known as the Freewinders were suddenly touted as the saviors of civilization for their willingness to undergo the journey into the unknown. 18,000 Clutches were sent to the Keeper's Wake, some 300,000 Keldon, male, female, and hatchling were placed into suspended animation and committed to the stars.

They were committed into exile.

With the most vocal of the opposition gone the military crushed any resistance that was left and unveiled the secret of the wormhole. Over the next four hundred years the Keldons unlocked wormhole after wormhole moving ever closer to Ska'ari space.

The Keeper's Wake and the Freewinders were forgotten.

About the time that Keldons made first contact with Ska'ari the Keeper's Wake ambled into the Sirius system. When the moon's AI detected an M Class planet it moved into orbit and began the process of waking its thousands of inhabitants.

The Sirion Keldons believed they were alone and that the rest of their kind had fallen victim to the inevitable war over the last scraps of food and ore. They began their civilization again. The held true to their roots of free thought and free love. They were rooted in the earth but their minds were always in the stars they came from. My Clutch-mother's mother was present when the first Union scout landed outside Keldana Glimmer.

The dream of a reunited Keldon began at that moment.

I aim to live that dream.

The War of Words... and thoughts.

The thing the Ska'ari fear the most is information. I have been rebuked by Imperials. They discount the truth because they have achieved so much! Even my brother Keldons who fly under Imperial colors scoff at the idea that their species is being oppressed. I am sure that life is good for the top few percent who are lucky enough to get a sabre and start their life among the stars. But what about the millions and millions of imperial subjects who toil day in and day out- no closer to the stars than the ancients - what about them?

The Ska'ari have capitalized on Keldon ingenuity, guile, and industry and now they fancy themselves as masters of the galaxy. The great enlighteners. Their empire is a farce. History will tell, brothers and sisters, of a dark time in the life of the Keldon species when we were divided. Some of us being free in the east but most of use caught in a mighty pincer in the south.

Parents of Keldana, hear my words, and whisper to your clutches. Tell them they are more than subjects of a Ska'ari empire. Tell them that some day they will live in a society where speaking out is encouraged. And tell them that they have brothers half a galaxy away who wish for nothing more than to be united.

Remember: Beware he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master.

Until the sister grandmothers are free.

-Dex

Radio Free Keldon

Brothers and Sisters,

I am a son of Sirion. I am grandson to Keldona. My ancestors set foot on Sirion after traveling in the Generation Ship Keeper's Wake. We have been here since before the first wormholes were even opened. The Keldon spirit has given the stars to three other civilizations. We it not for our endeavor, the humans, ska'ari, and Rashkir, would still be murdering each other over fossil fuels.

Then the Pardus War came.

Since then the Ska have asserted themselves as masters of their "Empire". They wish themselves masters of the entire galaxy. You, my brothers and sisters of Keldon, have been duped into serving them.

Brave warriors of Keldona throw off the yoke of Ska'ari tyranny. Wear the emperors colors no more. Leave Empire space. Battle in exile with the Union until the day that our mother and grandmother can be free.

The Ska'ari agenda has stifled the rightful development of the Keldon species.

It must end now.