The spirit of common purpose that united humanity against the Ukari did not last long once the enemy had been defeated. Without the threat of conquest hanging over their heads, and with no one to answer to save themselves, the ruling elites of the various worlds resumed their empire-building and personal enrichment at the expense of the lower classes. Yet the toiling masses had seen what could be accomplished when humankind worked together toward a common cause, and they did not forget. Some began to wonder what might be achieved if the oppressed across the galaxy united behind the cause of freedom.

     They were not alone in pondering alternatives to the despotism and casual brutality that characterized Diasporan governments. A number of merchant families rose to prominence after the wars, having profited handsomely from the massive effort required to keep the military forces supplied with arms and other critical resources. These mercantile concerns recognized that their economic interests might better be served if all the worlds of humanity were governed by a single, galaxy-spanning institution that could overcome the petty favoritism of local despots and guarantee free trade for all.

     The drive for galactic unification began to gather momentum, inspired by the Prophet's vision of a humane and ethical universal order and bankrolled by powerful, jumpweb-spanning merchant cartels based on the planets New Istanbul and Liberty. The noble houses, disdainful of such idealistic crusades, continued to pursue their own self-serving agendas. Yet the wars they waged against their rivals were costly, and many of the houses fell into debt to finance their campaigns. The cartels held these debts over the nobility's heads, coercing political and economic concessions from them.

     This period of consolidation culminated in what later historians called the Unity War, which erupted in 3450. The Unity War was more a collection of piecemeal battles against local despots than a coherent campaign with any clear long-term strategy, but the end result could not be denied. One by one, autocratic nobles and petty tyrants were either swept aside or forced to accept constitutional limits on their power. In the year 3500, representatives from scores of worlds gathered on the planet Liberty to sign the accords that established what came to be known as the Second Republic.

Second Republic

     With the rise of the new Republic, it seemed that all of humanity’s hopes and dreams would finally be realized. Universal emancipation, supported by the prosperity of the mercantile interests, spurred a new era of exploration and technological progress. Living standards across the Known Worlds rose to unprecedented levels, and the inhabitants of many planets enjoyed security from invasion and oppression for the first time in living memory. At long last, it seemed that humanity would be able to fulfil its destiny to become the preeminent race in the galaxy.

 

Galactic unification removed the political and ideological barriers that had kept human worlds isolated from each other, opening the door to a freer sharing of knowledge. Rapid technological progress was the result, facilitated by the improved lines of communication and fueled by the prosperity of the merchant cartels, which soon evolved into true corporations. New technologies were introduced to improve the quality of human life, although little consideration was given for the effect these innovations would have on society. It began to seem that nothing was beyond human reach.      Bouyed by the prevailing belief in the supremacy of technology, the Second Republic set out to "terraform" worlds to be more like the Earth. It was not enough for a planet to be merely suitable for human life: the terraformers were determined to make every world a veritable paradise. The drive to improve upon nature was not restricted to planets. Through genetic engineering, scientists began to tinker with the human form itself. Such manipulation led to the creation of freakish subhumans as often as it produced results that might be considered an improvement on humanity's base stock.

Seal of the Republic

     The development of artificial intelligence, intended to make life easier for human beings, likewise had unforseen repercussions. As corporations introduced robots and advanced computers to take over much of the manufacturing and maintenance during the latter decades of the Second Republic, production levels soared but millions of workers were displaced from their jobs with each passing year. The Republic's welfare infrastructure, funded through taxes on skyrocketing corporate revenues, took on the daunting task of supporting these unemployed masses.

Fall from Grace

     The Second Republic's teeming masses, provided with a free ride but deprived of the sense of purpose found in productive labor, turned toward mindless entertainments to fill their hollow, day-to-day existence. Many of these lost souls looked toward religion again, seeking something to give meaning to life. Dozens of ancient religions were revived, competing with new cults for the faith of the masses. After centuries of steady decline while humanity was distracted by material pursuits, the Universal Church experienced a renaissance as new members flocked to its cathedrals.

     The elites, isolated from the masses by the luxurious lifestyle their wealth afforded, were too preoccupied with their personal ambitions to notice the spiritual malaise that had gripped humanity. The Second Republic, for all appearances more powerful and prosperous than ever, was corrupt at its core. Self-gratification was the order of the day, as corporate leaders and politicians enriched themselves at everyone else's expense without regard for the crimes they perpetrated against the human soul. Zebulon's call for humanity to unleash its questing spirit had been forgotten.

     Recognizing the resurgent authority of the Universal Church, the Republic Senate made concessions to appease its vocal following, even going so far as to name it the official state religion of the Republic. The Church brokered this stamp of legitimacy to expand its power even further, raising its voice against the soulless material excesses of contemporary society. Driven by righteous indignation, the Church adopted an increasingly reactionary stance, railing against the corporations and the culture of technosophy upon which their wealth and privilege depended.

     Meanwhile, the noble houses, long denied access to the corridors of power, saw a chance to regain some of their former prestige by manipulating the growing unrest to their advantage. As political outsiders, nobles possessed ample moral authority to criticize the Republic's corrupt politicians and self-serving bureaucracy. Many of the disillusioned masses proved surprisingly receptive to the nobility's argument that corruption was the inevitable conquence of leadership in the absence of honor, which served as a natural constraint upon unethical behavior. Or so the nobles claimed.

Paradise Lost

     The bubble finally burst in 3996, when unknown terrorists sabotaged the central computer that controlled the welfare distribution system. Deprived of the dole, the masses surrendered to long-suppressed frustration. Riots broke out across the Republic, and several worlds descended into outright anarchy. The government deployed its police and military forces to restore order, but the task proved to be a logistical nightmare. The Republic's offensive capability was geared toward precise, surgical strikes, not the suppression of widespread unrest across the jumpweb.

 

Kylanthra Escort Frigate

On many worlds, the noble houses stepped forward, offering their personal resources and prestige to help quell the revolts. Growing desperate, the government accepted these offers, cutting deals with leading nobles so that it could concentrate its limited resources on suppressing breakaway "rogue" worlds on the frontier. During this process, which later historians called Divestiture, the Republic gradually surrendered its own authority piece by piece. The nobility assumed control of the local bureaucracies on many worlds before the Senate even realized what was happening.      In the midst of this chaos, the stars themselves began to grow dim across the Known Worlds, including the suns of inhabited systems. According to the Republic's scientists, the fading suns phenomenon was impossible. Yet it was happening. Science held no answers, and thus could offer no solutions. The Universal Church, on the other hand, had an explanation: The suns were fading because humanity had sinned, daring to usurp the powers of the Pancreator through technology. This message resonated with the frightened masses, providing a target for their anger.

     As the Republic reeled from these catastophes, its forces dispersed across the galaxy, a coalition of rogue worlds launched an attack at New Istanbul itself. The rebels occupied the capital, and shock and disbelief rippled across the Known Worlds. Ten noble houses, thereafter known as the Ten, banded together to liberate the capital and restore order. They drove the rogue worlders from New Istanbul and raised their own banners over the ashes of what had been the Second Republic. The beacon of hope and progress was snuffed out, even as the stars themselves dimmed.

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