Orion Federation
A History (by Paladin-007)

Part One

Galaxy: 2-arm spiral Giant
Race: Human Stock
Species: 8 Races
Home: System Awenn Has an additional Green 1 world in the home system.

In year 1 (turn 1) our society had a new awakening. The Orion Senate was formed, and we were invited to join. Hoping to establish our place in the galaxy and possibly reform all of civilization into a single harmonious society we are presumptuous enough to change the name our nation state to the Orion Federation.

When Ambassador Williams arrived in the Senate he was both surprised and pleased at the number of other civilization represented there. Original Senate members:

With a firm belief in trade Ambassador Williams works quickly to establish both trade and research agreement with all of the civilizations, and with the exception of the New Orions, every other race appeared very happy to agree and our relations began to warm accordingly.

Knowing that there is security in strength, and strength is derived from resources Admiral Greer orders his two reconnaissance ships to begin scouting two of the three star lanes connecting our system with the rest of the galaxy. As new and colonizable worlds are discovered an aggressive colonization program is initiated. In the year 35 our scouts find a magnate civilization on Psi Leonis I. After establishing a colony there, we were happy to include the plant race calling themselves the Audreih into our growing Federation.

In the year 53 we are surprised to find a magnate civilization of the famed Darlocks only one starlane away from our home system on the world of Wolf I. After establishing a colony there both of our races were happy to begin working together to form a more perfect union to unite the galaxy.

As time passes we are happy to coexist with our neighbors but as we pay more attention to their doings were are surprised to see that we are the only civilization operating under the premise of Peace and Prosperity. Our placement in the galaxy appears to be very fortuitous. Our home system acts as a blocking system shielding nine other systems from exploration and exploitation by others with the only other entry into this region protected by a Guardian in the Ursa system.

Many congressmen argue the point that we need a stronger defense. Our worlds are virtually defenseless. However, the counter argument goes that we are friendly with all of our neighbors and although there will be a need for a strong military in the future our resources are best spent building our colonies and expanding our base at this time. Weighing in on the debate, Admiral Greer states that the military, although concerned about the military build-up of our friends and neighbors, is happy to keep the budgetary policy as-is for now. He argues in favor of those who wish to spend more on the economy and infrastructure believing that he will need that infrastructure to support a much stronger military later.

Then in the year 67 another magnate civilization is located on the world of Al Tarf VI. We immediately dispatch a colony ship to this world to integrate this new civilization into our own, but this is when disaster strikes. A number of years after finding this new civilization, a crystalline warship arrived and blatantly attacked our ship destroying it and killing its crew.

Debates raged in congress for years until finally the hawks won. A bill was written and passed in the year 73 increasing military spending from Peace and Prosperity to Peace through Strength. No longer will we allow our military to sit by the wayside and remain weak while there are threats to our people and society!

In the year 93 still another magnate civilization was located on the world of Beta Cyg I. After establishing a colony there we were happy to include the protoplasmic species calling themselves the Ajadar into our ever-growing society.

During the past century relations with our fellow members of the senate have continued to grow closer. We have military alliances with all but the Meklars, and of course the Antarans. Trade is prospering and we are gaining a great deal of both fiscal and technological benefits from these relationships. Then in the year 103 a new race, another Ismaeis race calling themselves the Auarhciniala are invited to join the senate.

Ambassador Williams is delighted to have a new civilization to deal with and he immediately sets to work arranging economic and research trade agreements with them. Another twenty-three years pass without incident and then the first overtly hostile action against our civilization occurs in the year 126.

In 126 the Auarhciniala set an armada of sixteen warships in our home system and begin a blockade! Congress is infuriated! There are calls for WAR but after checking the relitive strength of our two nations the calls for war are silenced. The Auarhciniala are rivaled in power only by the Orions themselves!

In a very vocal but nearly unanimous emergency session of congress our budgetary policy is switched to Limited War and our people began to brace for the worst. Ambassador Williams worked feverishly to improve relations between our nations and a few years later a non-aggression pact was signed.

As our military strength increased and relations with the gas bags improved our people began to relax. War was averted and in the year 160 we degraded our budgetary policy back to Peace through Strength.