Chapter 5

The integration of the remaining Elithion citizens was less than smooth. Anti-Elithion propaganda still ran rampant across the Terran empire. The conclusion of the Second War in Heaven signaled the beginning of a new era in the galaxy. The Mect Pact returned to the Galactic Senate. With no reason to shutter themselves away now that the Elithion Protectorate were gone. Dozens of small empires sprung up in place of the old ones. A humanoid hybrid appeared just a few systems to the east of Sol. A product of environmental adaptation and gene modification, they were similarly structured to the Terrans. The notable differences included the fact that they stood nearly two feet taller than the average Terran citizen and tough leathery skin. They were more suited to live in environments with less atmospheric oxygen levels and higher nitrogen levels. They called themselves Thoracians and named their empire the Theocracy of Galadin after their founder and leader, Aman Galadin. They were scientists and philosopher's hell bent on unlocking the secrets of the galaxy. The former robotic slaves from the Elithion Protectorate fled to the south and gathered a cluster of three systems. They officially had no name but quickly earned the name The Machinists due to their strong desire to eliminate all organic life in the galaxy. No one knew who exactly altered their programming prior to their escape from the deserted Elithion planets but it was rumored that some Elithion citizens managed it before they melted into the shadowy corners of the galaxy to await their return to power. A deeply religious cult split from the refugees of various xeno origin and began preaching the Word of Vluur. What it was, no one knew but they all kept their distance. They soon became known as the Church of Vluur and were known to perform sacrificial offerings to their deity by kidnapping merchants in between the Mect Pact and the United Nations of Terra. The UNT and the Mect Pact formed a new federation called The Galactic Maritime Peacekeepers. Both empires heavily outgunned and outweighed the other empires and thus carried a higher diplomatic presence in the Galactic Senate. The Terrans set their sights on the improvement of all alien rights across the galaxy and the Mect Pact began petitioning for increased anti-piracy laws and galactic safety. Together, the two were near impossible to stop, not that the other empires were willing to sacrifice their security to challenge the behemoth empires. In the year 2500, the UNT began the construction of the largest structure ever seen in the galaxy. A structure called a Dyson Sphere. This megastructure could capture and harness the power of an entire sun. Simultaneously, they also began the reconstruction of the decommissioned Ring World discovered on the fringes of unexplored space. This Ring World was projected to be able to comfortably house nearly 10 billion citizens per section, and there were four sections. It was the new dream of the United Nations of Terra to someday integrate every empire into its own and house them all in one super secure and heavily protected system. Of course, the Mect Pact knew nothing of this grand scheme and instead were led to believe that the Ring World would be split equally between the two empires. Each was responsible for the cost their half and the defense of the system would fall equally on both. For now, the Terrans would continue to allow them to believe this pipe dream. Someday soon, there would be no galactic wars, no famine or disease. The Terrans would cure the galaxy of its illnesses and ailments. And in return nothing was expected except to be a good Terran Citizen. Someday soon, the United Nations of Terra would own the galaxy.