History of the First Galactic Senate

Below is the history of the First Galactic Senate.

Foundation

The famous Karnasian philosopher Ech'thu Romwa pondered on how Arkarnas could unite all species and establish galactic peace. He proposed that representatives from every race, bound together in a single senate. This gave birth to many Karnasian alliances, and Karnasian allies would persuade other empires to join the senate. Later, the idea was reformed by a Karnasian thinker named Recht Nomwar. He thought that a species should have a sub-senate, to represent the worlds they control, and the representative from the species' home world would be the Galactic Senator. Then there would be a mini senate, from each world's colonies. The representative from the colony capital would be the sub-senator. This allowed each species to have a way to hear the voice of every colony they have to establish more streamlined control over FTL communication.

In its first few years after reformation, the First Galactic Senate struggled to maintain control over the galaxy. Chaos across the galaxy was common, and wars broke out regularly. However, the newest Supreme Senator, Senator Etch Thio, demanded obedience. He commissioned the Grand Army of the Galactic Senate to bring order and peace to the galaxy. The technological superiority of Arkarnas made their crusade almost entirely one-sided.

The Conspiracy

Some senators were not happy with Senator Etch's rule. Though Arkarnas advocated peace, they often disagreed with their methods. They plotted a conspiracy to overthrow the Supreme Senator and turn the Galactic Senate into a way to control the Crucible Galaxy. The current Karnasian Admrial, Admiral Rouk, had an audience with the Supreme Senator. Then, the conspirators, acting like they were still loyal, seized the moment to kill both the admiral and the Senator. However, they had not counted on Rouk being a skilled fighter. The conspirators failed, and those who survived were hunted down and killed for treason. For his actions, the Admiral was given the chance to become Supreme Senator, Etch saying "If I can't see conspiracy right in front of me, I don't deserve to be Supreme Senator". In spite of this, he turned it down, saying "Politics aren't my thing, I'd rather study the Galaxy and enforce your rule". Since then, The Admiral and Etch became close personal friends.

Crisis on Karnas

Many years later, Etch was reelected, this time, however, his position was changed to High Senator. However, civil war had erupted on Arkarnas's homeworld of Karnas. Rebels had recently attacked the Palace of the Karnasian Emperor, Emperor Ochtha, and attempted to take his life. Fortunately, they were stopped by the Imperial Guards. Since then, war had erupted on Karnas, and soon the rebels holding the major city of Claras, Admiral Rouk's home city. Claras is known for its manufacturing of weapons and produced the ICBMs that ended the long war on Karnas. The Senate, however, wasn't moved by this. They were more interested in Senator Ka's Ghorax Annihilation Act, which would have the Senate declare war on the Ghorax faction the Buyuk Empire and use all available weaponry, WMD and otherwise, to exterminate them. The Karnasian Senators were outraged by this, and Senator Kora, of Misca, set up the Crisis Emergency Power Act, which allowed the High Senator increased power when dealing with a crisis on any world, more so on a homeworld. The Act was passed by a micro-majority. Using his new emergency powers, Etch demanded the Senate Military blockade the planet, and surround Claras. Eventually, an elite force of five Karnasians, lead by Admiral Rouk, assassinated the Rebel Leader for treason, and the crisis was diminished. As the act demanded, Etch lost his emergency powers afterwards.

Corruption of the Senate

After the Crisis on Karnas, many major senators began basking in power, and had the majority needed to forward even more political power into their hands. In a short time, Etch was removed from office due to the corruption. The first non-Karnasian High Senator was elected: Senator Oyn, of the Kachyn Empire. Oyn himself was one of the first visibly corrupted senators, and moved to make many acts and amendments that would allow him even more power. Etch, who was back as senator of Arkarnas, spoke out against him on multiple occasions. Oyn's most corrupted act, the Treason Extermination Act, lowered the standards for treason, and merely speaking out against him would be considered treason. Etch spoke put one last time, and was silenced. This act is what caused a rift in the senate, between two parties: the Karnasian Alliance, and the Universal Alliance.

First Galactic War

Main article: First Galactic War

The Karnasians, and many of their allies, left the senate, tearing the galaxy in two: The Karnasians had large galactic space, but the Senate had the most political influence. The Senatorial Military was also split in two, one rallying for the Karnasians, the other staying loyal, either for profit, bloodlust, or for blind loyalty. The Galaxy was plunged into war. Then, the Karnasian Alliance made a quantum leap: negotiations with the Buyuk Empire.

The Reconciliation of the Senate

With the help of the Ghorax, the fallen Universal Alliance's military might mean nothing against the Karnasian Alliance. When the war ended with Senator Oyn's death, The Karnasian Imperial Admiral had requested that the Buyuk join the Senate. The Buyuk refused, violently killing the Admiral and returning to the Core zone. The Buyuk Empire would consolidate their forces and watch the events of the Senate unfold.

Despite this, corruption in the Senate was halted, and the Karnasians reassumed the title of High Senator. The Senate was reformed once more: No longer would a single senator stand for an empire, but for every planet in the Galaxy.

Tensions rise

However, many Senators felt disturbed by the continuous power of the Karnasians in the Senate. So far, every non-Karnasian High Senator had been killed. Though none had planned another conspiracy, multiple senators had come to speak out against the High Senator. The Karnasians were becoming increasingly tense about the constant verbal attacks on High Senator Kion, and had begun to suspect treason. In time, however, Kion passed an act decreeing that any senator that speaks out against any other senator in a manner meant for violence, that senator shall be put on level 1 probation, and after level 3, that senator shall be expelled from the Senate. Every speak-out-loud was soon halted.

Overthrowing of the Karnasians

The minority of the Senate felt that this was just an attempt to assure the galaxy remained under the political control of the Karnasians. Multiple Senators planned to overthrow the Karnasian sovereignty and take the Galaxy under their wings. Many Senators began speaking out again, and didn't care about probation. The Karnasian Elite Guards became worried that it might result in chaos and violence. Eventually, the minority became a majority, and Senator Nor Lom Ter moved that the Karnasian Senators be expelled from the Senate for bureaucracy, hording of power, and attempting to diminish democracy in the Galaxy. They also argued that Arkarnas was imposing on their species' original cultures and religions far too much. Arkarnas defended themselves by saying that under their rule, the galaxy had never seen a more peaceful time. However, the result was that the Senate passed the "Karnasian Removal Act". The Karnasian Empire was kicked out of the Senate.

Decline of the Senate

Without the Karnasians' Galactic Code in place, species after species would eventually be removed from the Senate until only two were left: the New Hunre Republic and the Heglarean Empire. These last two powers desperately held on to what little powers they had left leading to a quiet period of at least a few centuries.

Heglarea Incident

Main article: Heglarea Incident

Arkarnas, after having waited out the destruction of the Senate, decided to return and attempt to reclaim their lands diplomatically. They approached the Heglarean Empire first and offered them a new type of jump gate, discovered after technological advancements improved their fusion power. However, the event was a disaster as the fusion reactor powering the new jump gate mysteriously exploded, resulting in the destruction of the Heglarean's home system. While it is believed to have been a freak accident, the Hunre and Heglarean were both quick to accuse Arkarnas of instigating war. Arkarnas did not take kindly to this.

Second Galactic War

Main article: Second Galactic War

Tensions grew even further after the Heglarea Incident, and raids by the Buyuk Empire continued to weaken the Senate species and dwindle their resources. The Hunre and Heglarean survivors banded together to reform the Senate as the Dragonslayer Alliance to push Arkarnas back once more. As Arkarnas still remained a technologically superior foe, the Hunre decided to craft a superweapon that would instead quietly defeat the Karnasians. Derived from Harbinger technology, the Hunre reverse engineered the Racuna virus to target the Karnasians. The virus was deployed to devastating results.

In spite of this, Arkarnas still managed to defeat the Dragonslayer Alliance. The war was ended with the Treaty of Arkarnas which confined both the Hunre and Heglarean species to the planet Hunren except those who openly accepted citizenship in Arkarnas.

Aftermath

The war left the First Galactic Senate in complete ruin with Arkarnas being the only noteworthy power in the region that could effectively resist the Buyuk Empire. As a result, the Buyuk broke their truce and resumed their conquest of the galaxy. The Karnasians were still able to hold off from Buyuk raids, but were unable to go on the offensive. The Buyuk and Arkarnas were now locked in a stalemate that would last many centuries.

---