The Rookie

by Scott Sigler

  Earth’s ancient history is fraught with war and hatred between the dominant religions. Three religions, in particular — Christianity, Judaism and Islam — have been at each other’s throats for millennia. Historians can only estimate the number of deaths caused by altercations amongst these sects, and yet the most ironic part is that all three, essentially, worship the very same god.

  It was this “one true god” that Mason Stewart called upon when he founded the Purist Nation just three months after Humanity’s first interstellar contact: the historic “Message from Space” sent out by the Whitok race in 2395. Humanity’s reaction to the discovery of life on other planets was mixed at best, ranging from boundless optimism to prophecies of doom and destruction. Elements of all three major religions railed against the concept of intelligent life on other planets. Stewart’s fire-and-brimstone speeches catered to these elements. His single most brilliant tactic was that he didn’t embrace an existing religion, but started his own. His was not an offshoot of Christianity or Islam or Judaism, but an entirely new church that incorporated elements of all three.

  Many historians feel that Stewart’s incorporation of religious elements is proof positive that he was a calculating opportunist, that he skillfully created a philosophy “familiar enough” to be comfortable for members of all three religions. Members of the Purist Nation, however, say Stewart was a direct conduit for God, whom Stewart called the “High One.” Stewart painted a picture that the three religions were not “wrong,” just that man’s interpretation hadn’t been quite “right.”

  The presence of alien life caused a great schism in the three religions. The leaders of Christianity, Judaism and Islam supported Humanity’s involvement with other races, yet millions of rank-and-file members did not. Fundamentalist movements sprang up all over the world, growing in numbers and strength when Whitokians established a permanent colony on Earth in 2406. Severe violence marked the various schisms as fundamentalists sought to kill Whitokians, drive them from Earth, and take control away from “blasphemous” church leaders. As Stewart’s church gained strength, his message called out to these fundamentalists. He gave them exactly what they wanted: an organized, religiously justified platform from which to hate alien races.

  The Purist Nation boldly claimed responsibility for terrorist actions that cost the lives of thousands of Whitokian immigrants. The crackdown of 2431, however, put a permanent end to those terrorist acts. Governments and religions around the world cooperated to capture or kill Purist Nation terrorists. With his best shock troops eliminated, Stewart faced a turning point in his power base. Instead of trying to play politics, he called upon the immense wealth of his church to outfit a fleet of starships. Over five million followers of the Purist Nation fled Earth at the end of 2431.

  The journey was difficult, to say the least. Poor technology, overcrowding and accidents caused the loss of some thirty ships and over one million lives before the Purist Nation fleet colonized their first planet, named “Stewart” after their bold leader. Many elements of this “exodus” have been incorporated into the Purist Nation’s holy texts. The new planet gave the Purist Nation a home free of cultural influence from Earth.

  From “Rise to Power: The Quyth Concordia 2752 to present,” written by Viler the Meek

  It is often mentioned in galactic history texts that the Quyth Concordia’s rise to power is merely a fluke of biology. The Quyth, after all, are the only sentient species that can completely ignore latent radiation, even when that radiation reaches levels high enough to kill Humans, Ki, Sklorno, Harrah, Whitok, Leekee and Creterakians.

  This innate ability allowed the Quyth to expand from one planet to a five-planet empire rich in mineral wealth. In the seminal year of 2573, the Quyth shocked the galaxy by establishing a permanent, flourishing colony on the planet Gritchlik, which the Sklorno irradiated during the Quyth-Sklorno war. By the end of 2573, the Quyth had also colonized three other irradiated worlds—Whitok, Ionath, and Chikchik. This marked the fastest expansion in the galaxy’s history, and instantly catapulted the Quyth from a galactic second-stringer to a major player on the political landscape.

  Yet despite the Concordia’s continued success, and despite the fact that the Concordia is one of only six systems to remain independent from the Creterakian Empire, sociologists from other species continue to say that the Quyth’s success relies solely on resistance to radiation. These so-called “experts” like to point out that the Quyth’s expansion was largely unchallenged, because no government could justify fighting a war over a “dead” planet. An interesting stance, but how logical is it?

  Humans, for example, target planets rich in oxygen with Earth-like gravity. The Tower Republic and Leekee Collective have cooperatively shared planets in the same system, with the Republic taking the land and the Collective claiming domain over the oceans. Is that not a perfect example of a “biological fluke” resulting in expansion of territory? The Republic and the Collective do not war over planets, because they each occupy non-competitive ecological niches.

  The Harrah, as another example, are the only species in the galaxy that can live on gas-giant planets. And yet how many “experts” point out the “biological fluke” that has led the Harrah to become a five-planet empire of immense military and political power? And how many of these mostly-Human “experts” point out the obvious, that while all Human governments bend to the will of the Creterakian Empire, the Quyth Concordia remains independent?

  From “Species Biology & Football,” written by Cho-Ah-Huity

  It is well-known that the Ki are the best linemen in football. While many call me biased, as I am a proud subject of the Ki Empire, I support this claim with facts.

  First of all, there is the size factor. A Ki lineman stands on average six feet high vertically, with another six feet reaching back from the vertical body. It is the six-foot-long “ground-body” that provides amazing stability. Six legs support the ground-body, giving the Ki lineman the lowest center of gravity of any species. Because of this, it is very difficult to knock a Ki lineman to the ground.

  Then there is the strength factor. In the “bench press,” a Human test of strength that is uniquely suited to measuring football prowess, the average Human lineman benches 720 pounds while the average Ki lineman benches 1,130 pounds. Quyth Warriors, the only other species capable of playing on the line, bench around 600 pounds. Humans from heavy-G worlds are becoming more of a factor in the game, yet they average around 900 pounds in the bench press. Clearly, the Ki is the strongest species in the game.

  It has been noted, repeatedly, that both Quyth Warriors and heavy-G Humans are faster than Ki, have better lateral movement, and faster reaction time due to their smaller size — mostly because they have less mass to move. These factors make both species excellent linebackers and defensive ends. However, those factors are usually not enough to offset the Ki’s advantage in size and strength. Depending on the offensive scheme, Quyth and heavy-G Humans can make good run-blockers, but if you want to throw the ball you need the pass-blocking prowess of the Ki species.

  As for defense, the middle of the line might as well be sovereign territory of the Ki Empire. With massive strength and the low center of gravity, Ki nose guards and defensive tackles are specialists at shutting down the run. The Ki are also able to lay devastating hits due to their “gather” ability, where they can briefly compact their tubular body from twelve feet to eight feet, then suddenly expand with violent force. The “gather” lets them deliver crushing hits anywhere in a ten-foot radius. It is a common technique in tackling as well as in block-destruct.

  From “Species Biology & Football,” written by Cho-Ah-Huity

  Sklorno were once considered the bane of the galaxy. An aggressive, fast-growing species, Sklorno females reach reproductive maturity in seven years. They also can breed up to twice a year, with potential broods of ten to twelve children. This would create severe overpopulation, save for the fact that in Sklorno society cannibalism is
not only socially acceptable, it is considered a normal part of life. When the population exceeds the food supply, the government simply selects the individuals that are to become food themselves.

  This behavior is indicative of what makes the Sklorno so “alien” to the other sentient species. The Sklorno have little or no concern for individual life. What matters in their culture is the success of the entire species, the “macro-environmental” scale if you will. Because of this attitude, the Sklorno were a vicious warring race, and tried several times to exterminate other species and expand their territory via war. The Sklorno, in fact, started the First Intergalactic War when they conquered the planet Withrit, and exterminated all intelligent life (amounting to about 2.1 billion Whitokians). The Sklorno were also the first species to destroy a planet’s ability to sustain life when they saturation-bombed Ionath, which then belonging to the Prawatt Jihad.

  So what does this history lesson have to do with Species Biology & Football? You must understand the culture of the Sklorno if you are to understand their strengths and weaknesses as football players. Individual life holds little meaning for the Sklorno, while the success of the overall species is all-important. This attitude translates literally to the gridiron. Sklorno do whatever it takes to put the team ahead.

  On top of that, they’re the fastest and most agile species in the galaxy. With 40-yard dash speeds up to a blistering 3.0, and vertical leaps of up to fifteen feet, they seem almost genetically-engineered to play wide receiver and defensive back. A Sklorno receiver fully extended and at top jumping height can pull down a ball that’s thrown twenty feet over her head. Despite their speed, the Sklorno are the least strong of the playing races. Improvements in inertia-based protective equipment have greatly reduced Sklorno deaths, although during a given Upper Tier season one can still expect five to eight deaths.

  Creterakian officials introduced football in Sklorno space just 23 years ago. It has become a massive cultural phenomenon. Football is the number-one spectator sport, surpassing the traditional sports of spot-racing and even soccer, which the Sklorno have dominated since Humans introduced it 62 years ago. With military expansion halted by Creterakian rule, young Sklorno females have few outlets for their aggressive tribal tendencies. Football has filled that gap.

  A societal quirk has developed due to the GFL, where Sklorno players (and some fans) put their team on a slightly higher level than their species. For many Sklorno, football isn’t like a religion, it is a religion. Sociologists say that the team-based nature of the GFL is a perfect, microcosmic replica of the warring culture, and it appeals to the Sklorno at a very instinctive level. With the success of the species always at the forefront of their thoughts, Sklorno tend to idolize those that define a team’s success — coaches and quarterbacks. There are actual churches spread throughout Sklorno space that are dedicated to coaches, like To Pirates coach Yuri Rockmananoff, and quarterbacks, like Hittoni Hullwalkers legend Sam London and two-time Tier One Championship MVP Donald Pine.

  From “Creterak: The Unforeseen Dynasty,” by Hammond Gomez

  It is almost inconceivable to anyone under the age of 40 that once, not so long ago, no one had even heard of a “Creterakian.” Considering that race’s almost total control over the galaxy, it is just as inconceivable to those people that the Creterakians were once looked at as an asset to be claimed, not a military power to be feared.

  Creterak is a medium-sized planet, disadvantageously located in a political “hot zone” near the galactic core. The planet borders the Harrah Tribal Accord, The Quyth Concordia and the Rewall Association. It is also uncomfortably close to the last known position of the Prawatt Jihad fleet. This proximity proved to be a spark for military conflict.

  The Creterakians were centuries behind other races in most technologies, but surprisingly advanced in some areas. Signal detection, for example, is an area in which that race completely outclasses all others. The Creterakians managed to “hide” their planet from detection for over 250 years, and were completely unknown until they achieved FTL capability in 2639.

  The existence of a sentient race hidden within in a well-explored area stunned every scientist in the galaxy. Military officials of three separate systems saw a potential asset near the border of potential enemies. Within hours of the announcement, the Tribal Accord, the Association and the Concordia sent “diplomatic” fleets to Creterak. All three systems immediately claimed the rights to the new planet.

  Even as the Galactic Council met to discuss claims to Creterak, skirmishes erupted between the Harrah and Quyth fleets just three days after the planet’s discovery. Within a week, the skirmishes evolved into minor naval battles claiming well over 50,000 lives. What had begun as an amazing discovery quickly grew into the potential for a Fifth Galactic War. Each government sent reinforcements, resulting in three armada-class fleets circling the planet.

  In a claimed effort to stem the violence, the Creterakians sent delegates to every ship in all three fleets. Again, it is inconceivable to young people today that the fleets fell for such a simple ruse. But look at it from the historical standpoint: the Creterakians were small, seemingly harmless creatures, they had no inter-species battle experience, and they had no military craft. Humans have even described Creterakians as “cute.” Nothing was known of them other than the fact they had FTL capability and could speak every known language, which they had absorbed from centuries of signal monitoring.

  One small delegate vessel traveled to each ship in all three fleets, but no one suspected just how many Creterakians could pack into such a confined space. In primitive shuttles that would seat four humans in relative comfort, the Creterakians packed over 300 shock troops. In addition, no one had ever faced soldiers that moved as fast as the Creterakians, who can fly up to 45 miles per hour. The results were almost instant — the Creterakians seized control of three entire fleets as their soldiers tore through the ships with unheard of speed, killing most of the crew even before alarms could be sounded.

  With their borders secure, the Creterakians launched the largest invasion force the galaxy has ever seen. Like a cell bursting with a deadly virus, over 50,000 transport vessels departed from Creterak and spread throughout the galaxy. Each vessel contained at least one million Creterakian soldiers — a force 50 billion strong. Subsequent research shows the Creterakians had been planning their attack for 125 years, all the while going undetected by every race in the galaxy.

  The Creterakians also shocked established navies with a new tactic — attack by attrition. The landing ships ignored navies and headed straight for the surface of every inhabited planet in the galaxy. Defending navies destroyed tens of thousands of ships, but it’s estimated at least five landing vessels touched down on each planet — giving the invading Creterakians a ground force of at least five million soldiers that could fly at 45 miles per hour and were armed with high-power entropic accelerator rifles. As astonishing as the figure sounds, the Creterakians conquered every planet within one week of landing.

  By 2642, the Creterakians had the complete surrender of the Planetary Union, League of Planets, Ki Empire, Ki Rebel Alliance, Purist Nation, Tower Republic, Leekee Collective, Harrah Tribal Accord and the Sklorno Dynasty. The Quyth Concordia and the Rewall Association managed to fight off the invading forces, and remain independent to this day.

  TIMELINE

  Partial galactic history of major events leading up to the founding and operation of the GFL

  PRE-HISTORY

  TERTIARY EPOCH:

  Other than the sprawling deep-space construct known as “The Reef,” very little evidence remains of the Tertiary Epoch. It is known, however, that the period was a clear example of the “batching” phenomenon. Batching is defined as several species on separate planets achieving sentience and FTL technology in a relatively limited time span. Considering the number of variables involved with a species achieving sentience, it is theorized that with certain types of planets that evolution of sentience is inevitable
, and will happen in a certain time frame based upon a planet cooling enough to support self-replicating chemical compounds. As large areas of mass condensed to form stars and planets, these areas possibly provided similar “starting points” at which this inevitable path to sentience began. This theory is highly controversial, countered by most mathematicians, astronomers and, of course, those that theorize batching is caused by galactic panspermia efforts.

  QUATERNARY EPOCH:

  Little is known about this period that occurred some two million years ago. The batching phenomena occurred in this time, with several species attaining sentience and achieving faster-than-light and/or gate technology. The Quaternary Epoch lasted approximately 500,000 years. Most academicians agree that ancestors of the Givers and Collectors cultures began in this period.

  Galactic Timeline: all times in Earth Time (ErT)

  MODERN EPOCH:

  1967 Collector gate built on Ki homeworld. Ki race subjugated (date estimated).

  1988 Collector orbital arrives at Earth.

  2008 Collectors fail in multiple attempts to invade Earth

  2009 Ki uprising against Collector homeworld. All contact lost with Collector race. Ki destroy all technology, dark age begins.

  2015 Prawatt race created and exterminated on Earth (date estimated).

  2345 Rewalls complete first successful test of the Punch Drive, achieve FTL status.

  2387 Humans independently develop the Punch Drive.

  2392 Rewalls establish colony on Loshal

  2401 Humans become first peaceful interstellar ambassadors, landing on Whitok.

  2406 Humans (with help of Terran Dolphins) sign treaty with Whitok.

  • Whitok inhabit Earth’s waters, humans inhabit Whitok lands.

  • Purist movement forms on Earth. Some humans believe Whitok are tools of the devil and that they should be destroyed.