The Rise before the Fall

Prologue 2: Aisha Clan Clan and the Ctarl Ctarl Empire

The vast expanse of the Ctarl Ctarl Empire covers over twenty-four sectors of space. Viewed on a two dimensional plane it is bordered on four sides and could be viewed as four distinct parts. The first part, covering sectors Alpha 33 to Alpha 38, border the frontier shared by the ever-expanding Terran colonies. The Empire entered into two trade wars with the Federation Space Forces for control over this frontier. In the end, a treaty was drafted and signed by both sides. While large territorial concessions were made to the Federation Space Forces, the Empire received control of planets believed to have rich dragonite (the most valuable mineral in the galaxy) deposits. Also, a corridor of space providing the Empire with easy access to other yet uncharted sectors of space, along with restricted trade between the two parties were all part of the treaty. The second and third parts which flanked either side of the first part were vast expanses of empty space with few solar systems and those that did exist there were completely uninhabitable. The forth part, on the opposite end of the Empire as far as Terrans were concerned, and the largest section of shared space, twelve sectors worth, were the rich solar systems of Sectors Alpha 57 to Alpha 68. These sectors bordered the Irrelatic Coalition, a tight confederacy of seven species that strove fiercely for its self-dependence and isolation from other species in space. For this reason, the Coalition viewed these frontier systems between the Empire's border and their own as essential to sustaining their self-dependence, while the Empire saw these sectors as ample compensation for territories given over to the Terrans in the Treaty of Sector Alpha 30.

The truth be told, the Empire had claimed these territories as its own over two hundred years ago, long before the Coalition even reached these sectors of space, but the Empire itself failed to colonize these sectors preferring the wealthier dragonite deposits of Sectors Alpha 31 and Alpha 32.

Minor skirmishes between these two powerful adversaries began to break out about one hundred years ago when the Coalition first reached these sectors. It was only twenty years ago that full-scale war broke out between the two empires.

During the first ten years of the war, the Ctarl Ctarl Empire enjoyed many glorious victories. Great leaders such as Fortunuse Clar Clar, Amisha Ctarn Ctarn and Prowlus Clan Clan brought much glory and honor to the Empire with their skillful victories over the superior numbered enemy. Unfortunately, as this generation of commanders moved from the commander's platform aboard the Empire's battle cruisers to the strategist's chair at the capitol, the next generation of commanders lacked the tenacity and resourcefulness the previous generation demonstrated so skillfully. So for the next seven years the victorious end of the war that seemed so close was now a distant memory. Defeat after defeat resulted in staggering loses in both resources and manpower.

It wasn't until a young fourteen year old academy cadet named Aisha Clan Clan appeared on the scene, did the tide of the war shift back in favor of the Empire. The only daughter of the High Command Rear Admiral Prowlus Clan Clan and winner of that year's academy wrestling championship (opened to past champions as well as current students); Aisha distinguished herself early on when still a cadet at the academy during a routine training mission aboard the training vessel, the Hitune Motra Motra. The Hitune Motra Motra was manned by a senior crew of teaching officers numbering four, and a cadet crew of twenty-six, when they fell under attack along the border between Sectors Alpha 53 and Alpha 59. During the attack all four instructional officers were killed and the Hitune Motra Motra sustained serious damage. But an aggressive and confident Aisha Clan Clan assumed command of the ship and launched a counter attack catching the two Coalition war ships completely by surprise. She managed to destroy one ship and seriously cripple the second ship before a Ctarl Ctarl combat destroyer answered the Hitune Motra Motra's distress calls.

For this incredible act of courage and resourcefulness under great pressure, Aisha received the Ctarl Brass Cluster Medal, an honor never before bestowed to a cadet. She was also granted immediate command upon graduating from the academy, another first. With her father's influence, Aisha was able to get the other twenty-five cadets, now officers in the Ctarl Ctarl Space Fleet, assigned to her ship. She knew it would be nearly impossible for a fourteen-year-old commander to be able to command the respect of a veteran crew. By requesting the crew she served with at the Sector Alpha 59 attack, she showed them the confidence she had in their abilities as well as showing them the respect she had for each of them. They knew she didn't think she turned the tide of the attack all by herself, but she understood she had the help of each and every one of them. Over the next three years as Aisha's performance warranted advancement from the cargo ship she was initially assigned to the combat destroyer she was currently commanding, her crew followed along with her. She was as absolutely confident in their abilities to respond under pressure as they were of her's. It is with this confidence that the Al Tigaro Tigaro came out of sub-ether space at the far end of Sector Alpha 63.