Précis of the history of Altinestra

Précis of the history of Altinestra

''2.II.31, 14571, which I have called "Précis of history" includes Jamie's narrative to Perkinjius and Damian of the history of Altinestra. For the resder's convenience this is excerpted here, with the bits of narrative excised, save at the very end.''

“Two centuries after the home world took its first steps off-planet, it had developed the technology to initiate the expansion of its sphere of influence,” Jamie began in a voice, full of confidence. “By then, hundreds of probes and many expeditions had shown that no other sentient life existed in their region of the galaxy. So, with no direct competition, humanity had the opportunity to do what most organisms do best when they find themselves in such an enviable position. They grow, thrive, expand, and dominate. Humans were no exception. The home world eventually began a slow expansion across their region of known space. The results took time, but were positive. And although the home world was known for a history of cultural and political conflict between nations and spheres of influence, it had moved forward in learning how to cooperate in many endeavors.

“But even a hundred years after establishing their first colonies and developing advanced forms of space travel, some of the old ethnic, cultural and geopolitical differences still kept the home world divided into various geopolitical groups. There was far less conflict than there had been centuries before.

“Technology, through the dissemination of information, had merged human languages into one dominant, global language, although some of the classical languages and regional dialects remained. Unrestricted movement lead to intermarriage as racial and ethnic differences either faded or didn’t matter in ways they had in the past. Early genetic engineering was able to extend life by an additional decade or two. Humanity was on the verge of a golden age. By this time, known space around the home world had been explored and mapped and vigorous colonization had begun. World colonies were established and eventually became self-sufficient. Throughout their expansion, humanity continued to enjoy its preeminent position, meeting no resistance as it pushed outward into the galaxy.”

“It was then the decision was made to expand the sphere of influence of the human universe even further, far further than anyone had previously imagined. Decades were consumed, building a great fleet of generational ships that would ply the galaxy in search of new, habitable worlds. It was a time before the gates, before interstellar or advanced core technology drives. The dream of near light or faster than light travel remained elusive. The mathematical formulas for spatial warping technology, although studied for centuries, still couldn’t be cracked. So the armada of generational ships, although swift, would still move at a glacial pace compared to what would follow only a century later.” Taking a breath, Jamie continued. “The resources needed to construct the fleet was another factor in eventually cementing the final unity between the separate continents of the home world. Initially, members of the grand consortium that engineered the plan exhibited their share of self-interest, but eventually that would fall aside and the home world would emerge united, as it remains today. But in those early days of the plan, there was still enough self-interest to influence the makeup of the fleet, along with the crews that manned them and the future colonists that were chosen to inhabit them.

“Two such ships were the Titan and the Victory, both from one of the older continents of the planet. The largest population on the Titan was technical in vocation, recruited from a cross section of the scientific communities of the continent. The Victory’s population focused on education and scholarship, along with philosophers, writers, and other practitioners of the fine arts. Since the journeys of the generational ships would be long, probably over centuries, it was made clear to those embarking on the great voyages to the stars that they would never return to the home world. And always, to ensure greater chances of success and for reasons of safety, the generational ships were sent forth in pairs.

“It seemed the Titan and Victory would be a perfect pair, both the sciences and humanities united in a grand quest for new worlds to discover, and conquer. And so they set out together, crossing the void of space. The colonists would be cryo-suspended, but such technology was still crude and its long-term success had never been tested. Stacked like wine bottles in a rack, the colonists would sleep while a crew would man, and maintain the vessels. All of the necessary equipment for colonization was also brought, filling the cargo hold of each ship with whatever it was deemed necessary to colonize, live, and survive on a new world.

“A century passed, then two. And over the long march of time interest in the great ships and their grand experiment began to fade. Technology and science moved forward at increasing speed. The early colonies grew strong and began to dominate the planets they’d colonized. More time passed and a federation developed that would someday become the commonwealth. As for the great ships, they continued to ply the galaxy like silent leviathans of the sea, searching for safe harbor. And while we don’t know what occurred on all the ships, we do know what happened with the Titan and the Victory.

“Although there was no communication with the home world, there was constant contact and transport between the two crews of the ships. As time wore on, the lofty goals and ideals of the mission began to fade in the day-to-day operations of the ships, and human nature being what it is, changes began to occur. No longer content with the original plans hatched on the home world, conversations between the crews of the Titan and the Victory began to center on matters of control and power.

“It was the crews who had to live out their lives on the ships. They worked, mated, bred, grew old and died. They were the ones who got injured and even killed when something went awry. They were the ones who had to train their children to do their tasks in order to keep the ships running smoothly, and manned by a competent crew. While the colonists slept, those of the crew were making the ultimate sacrifice. And since the crew was responsible for running the ships, keeping order, and establishing the rules, they began to think of themselves as its rulers. Meetings were held between the crews of the Titan and the Victory and it was decided that should planet fall someday occur, they would continue to be the ones in charge. Moreover they began to think of themselves as special, a nobility of sorts. After all, they were the ones risking their lives. They were the ones growing old and dying; Surely their heirs should inherit an advantage.

“Into their third century the two ships lumbered along until one day, out of nowhere, another ship appeared,” Jamie said “The ship was from the home world, tasked with mapping that sector of space. During the time they’d been traveling, many changes had occurred. The home world, now completely united, had joined with its colony planets into an ever-expanding commonwealth. New technologies had made faster than light travel possible. Space itself could be shaped, allowing a ship to slice through it and travel great distances instantaneously. New maps of the galaxy were being created and updated at a rapid pace. One of the goals of the new exploration was to search for, find, and assist the old generational ships in finding homes, so they could eventually make planetfall. Over time a number of the ships had been found, but the fates of the Titan and the Victory had remained unknown. The ship that found them informed them that a planet had recently been discovered at the edge of the commonwealth’s expansion. It was called Altinestra. If they wished, they could be taken there. The captains and crews of both ships met and agreed to this plan; warping the space around them, the amazing ship herded them through space as easily as a sheepdog corrals its flock. They arrived at Altinestra in good order, and after a year in orbit around the planet making their preparations for settlement, they finally made planetfall on the plain between the three convergent rivers at what is now Küronas.

“The ship that delivered them to Altinestra left the Titan and Victory shortly after the ships went into orbit. The crew manning the new ship was small compared to that of the two generational ships. They informed the crews of the Titan and the Victory that they would return to the home world and report their success, and that in time the home world would check on them, but for the moment they would be allowed to establish themselves without outside interference. Because of the great time/space distances; Even with improved space travel it had been discovered that world colonies were best left to develop on their own without outside pressure or influence. At first, all things went well. The colonists emerged from their sleep and began to build a new world. A republican form of government was established and life, although initially harsh, quickly improved. The scientific community that populated the Titan comprised an amazing array of creative minds with a wide range of talents. Using not only the technology at hand, but also quickly developing new tools and inventions, the new civilization began to thrive. In time, some of the greatest technological discoveries and inventions of the Commonwealth would come from Altinestra.

“But life wasn’t perfect. Many of the feelings of discontent sown among the crews of the ships during their long voyage began to emerge. Upon making planetfall, the crew followed procedure and did a planetary survey. Then, before reviving the colonists, they divided up the land between them to become the landholders of the planet. Initially this was not a problem; upon being confronted with a fait accompli, the colonists could do nothing but agree and in the early years there was enough work to keep everyone busy. All land was leased, and rent paid to the new landed class in the form of taxes. Although the old crew were the landholders, the republican form of government ran reasonably well, until Jod Morren and the more prominent members of the landowners class formed an association and began increasing taxes. A rebellion followed, armed camps emerged, and in the ensuing conflict the first republic came to an end. Fearing the worst, all land was confiscated and a Council for Public Safety was established. A more communal system of economics was put in place, and the old land owners, while keeping some of their land, had to forfeit much of it to the state.

“Decades passed and the Council of Public Safety eventually grew into a new republic. The Second Republic lasted almost fifty years until the so-called ‘War of the Nobles’. The great landed families of Altinestra that had descended from the original crews of the Titan and Victory had lived in resentment for years, brooding over how they’d been stripped of their land and influence by the Committee for Public Safety. Still maintaining their network through marriage and alliances, they bided their time while secretly amassing military strength. The following war, unexpected, swift, and fought against a largely unarmed populace, was over in a matter of weeks, leaving in its wake the shattering of the Second Republic. The old landed families quickly regained their wealth. Those in the cities and towns found themselves powerless. The entire system was about to collapse when onto the scene strode one of the most remarkable men in the history of the planet, Jacques de Valèn, known as The Founder.

“De Valèn was from one of the minor landed families, descended from a lesser crew member who’d received a small parcel of land in the north of the continent. The only thing de Valèn really seemed to excel at was politics, at least that’s the only thing he ever claimed interest in. As a young boy, he’d watched the increasing instability of the Second Republic, and as a young man he’d seen it collapse. What amazed him most of all was the fact that throughout the long, often contentious political battles between crew and colonist, landowner and tenant, the scientific and cultural communities of the planet continued to reach ever greater creative and intellectual heights. New discoveries and inventions not only made life better, but began to catch the interest of the commonwealth.

“Jacques de Valèn dreamed of a stable system that would allow the planet to know no bounds. He could envision a planet not at the outskirts of the commonwealth, but at its center as it supplied the great expanding commonwealth with improved technology. He foresaw the day when, just as home world had done, Altinestra’s influence would expand across its sector of the galaxy. As he grew older his ideas coalesced into a plan, and it was then, through an accidental meeting, that he encountered Escalad Agramos, a young captain in the militia of one of the larger landholders.

“It’s said Agramos was first intrigued, then charmed, and finally enraptured by de Valèn and his vision. Taking his place by his idol’s side, Agramos became de Valèn’s general, his strong right arm. Agramos’ strength of will and his military acumen, along with the vision he shared with de Valèn, made them an amazing pair. Eventually it was said that whatever de Valèn and Agramos fashioned could not be broken. It was also said that Agramos had fallen in love with de Valèn, but his was a love unrequited. De Valèn was married when he was quite young to a beautiful woman whom he adored, and remained strongly in love with her until the day he died. When de Valèn and Agramos were done, Altinestra was united and a third republic, the Golden Republic, was formed.

“Although he came from the landed class, de Valèn knew that to form lasting peace a strong state, representing all interests, was necessary and the only way to do that was through compromise. A parliamentary system was established with a titular head of state that would answer to the landowners and represent their interests while an intraplanetary, elected senate would represent the interests of everyone else. The deal wasn’t an easy one to forge, but after it took shape it worked well. Taking his place as founder of the new republic, de Valèn spent the rest of his life in service to the state he’d created with the help of Agramos.

“For his part, Agramos, given the title of Duke of Agramon, spend his life in service to de Valèn. Together, they were unstoppable. At one point de Valèn was offered the title of King, which he immediately refused. Truly dedicated to the principles of the republic and its goals he reluctantly took the title of duke and became First Prince of the planet, but it was a title he was uncomfortable with and never used, preferring instead the sobriquet of First Citizen.

“Agramos became the Duke of Agramon, but as a military leader he felt uncomfortable ruling a fiefdom. He refused any reward of land, choosing instead to live out his life in Küronas and remaining near de Valèn. Jacques de Valèn lived a very long life and was able to steer the third republic toward a glorious future. Shortly before his death, he was able to see substantial trade agreements fashioned and enacted as the amazing technology of the planet was spread throughout the commonwealth. De Valèn died peacefully in his bed, his wife having predeceased him years before. Since The Founder had never had children, Agramos, the closest person to de Valèn, remained by his side until The Founder breathed his last.

“Within a year, the great duke and general was also dead; Of a broken heart, it was rumored. After his demise, a series of legends rose up about him. The tower in the great square was named for him, and when the four gates of the square were constructed, one of those was also named after him. Out of respect, no one ever took his title of Duke of Agramon. And since he had no lands to fight over, no troubles ensued. Stories began and quickly grew into legends about the day when a successor to the great Escalade Agramos would emerge. It was said that when that happened, all manner of things would occur. The tower would finally open; the secrets of the monastery of infinity stand revealed; Altinestra would take its rightful place as the center of the commonwealth. But time progressed and nothing ever happened. The stories and legends continued to flourish, but that’s all they ever were: simply stories.

“A century passed and members of de Valèn’s distant family tried to claim his fame and greatness and for a while they did, but none were up to the strength and character of The Founder,” Jamie continued looking directly at Perkinjius, “and his line was officially closed three centuries after his death at the Council of Triège, by the Emperor who actually claimed that the House of Blackwell possessed a blood tie to House de Valèn. In truth, that claim has never been substantiated. The Third Republic flourished for some time, but old sores have a way of breaking open. Eventually a series five great wars, the wars of succession were fought, completely crushing the Third Republic into the dust of history. The fifth and final war, the War of the Madman, ended when Enrick Blackwell, a boy of just sixteen, was able to amass an army to defeat all other contenders to the then throne of the Kingdom of Altinestra. Blackwell became the first Emperor and established the dynasty that still rules the planet. After that came the first and second slave rebellions, and..."

“...and that should be enough for today.” Perkinjius said flatly in an attempt to remain cool and detached.