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AD 2634
A young man named Akan begins to gain popularity in the Itani Senate (a group of politicians collectively taking decisions). This is the same Akan from whom the Order of Akan, the Itani terrorist wing, takes its name. Akan appeared at the time to be a moderate, not an anti-Serco hardliner, in spite of his anti-Serco upbringing. This is only a testament to the treachery and capriciousness of the Itani mind. He becomes the golden boy of public opinion, a proof of the lack of judgement in the general public. His popularity makes him unassailable publicly, although in private many Serco leaders take precautionary measures.
A young man named Akan begins to gain popularity in the Itani Senate (a group of politicians collectively taking decisions). This is the same Akan from whom the Order of Akan, the Itani terrorist wing, takes its name. Akan appeared at the time to be a moderate, not an anti-Serco hardliner, in spite of his anti-Serco upbringing. This is only a testament to the treachery and capriciousness of the Itani mind. He becomes the golden boy of public opinion, a proof of the lack of judgement in the general public. His popularity makes him unassailable publicly, although in private many Serco leaders take precautionary measures.
AD 2645
A series of explosions, secretly planted by Akan himself, occur in many Itani domes close to the Itani-Serco border. A few deaths and injuries occur. Akan, now the most powerful senator and leader of the Itani people, sends hand-picked “investigators” to the scene. After the “investigation”, they conclude that the blasts were in fact terrorist attacks orchestrated by the Serco against Itani civilians. Some in the Itani Senate present a weak opposition, but they are swept away by Akan’s instigative speech against the Serco and what he termed our “technology of terror”. The Itani people, paranoid, cowardly and eager to believe anything against the Serco, believe him.
The Itani also close all communications with the Serco, so no evidence to absolve the Serco in their minds should reach the people. Akan closes borders with the Serco, filling the Itani domes bordering Serco territory with his loyalists. He also begins assembling an “Itani Defense Force”, adapting the existing civilian biomechanical suits to combat purposes. The Serco are alarmed at the warlike nature of the hitherto arrogant yet peaceful Itani. Attempts at diplomacy are ignored, and eventually emissaries begin to vanish entirely. The Serco begin to militarize themselves for defensive purposes, in their first step towards the modern glorious Serco Dominion.
**Footnote: The original backstory states Akan being behind the bombs as a possibilty, while here it is stated as a fact. This is intentional, as propoganda documents do not usually leave space for possibilities, rather drawing definitive conclusions.**
A series of explosions, secretly planted by Akan himself, occur in many Itani domes close to the Itani-Serco border. A few deaths and injuries occur. Akan, now the most powerful senator and leader of the Itani people, sends hand-picked “investigators” to the scene. After the “investigation”, they conclude that the blasts were in fact terrorist attacks orchestrated by the Serco against Itani civilians. Some in the Itani Senate present a weak opposition, but they are swept away by Akan’s instigative speech against the Serco and what he termed our “technology of terror”. The Itani people, paranoid, cowardly and eager to believe anything against the Serco, believe him.
The Itani also close all communications with the Serco, so no evidence to absolve the Serco in their minds should reach the people. Akan closes borders with the Serco, filling the Itani domes bordering Serco territory with his loyalists. He also begins assembling an “Itani Defense Force”, adapting the existing civilian biomechanical suits to combat purposes. The Serco are alarmed at the warlike nature of the hitherto arrogant yet peaceful Itani. Attempts at diplomacy are ignored, and eventually emissaries begin to vanish entirely. The Serco begin to militarize themselves for defensive purposes, in their first step towards the modern glorious Serco Dominion.
**Footnote: The original backstory states Akan being behind the bombs as a possibilty, while here it is stated as a fact. This is intentional, as propoganda documents do not usually leave space for possibilities, rather drawing definitive conclusions.**
AD 2648
Reports begin arriving of growing Itani aggression. Hardline anti-Sercos are placed in high positions of power within the new Itani military. Akan is now absolute dictator of the Itani people, although with popular support. The Itani government now openly begins to preach anti-Serco propaganda, and the Itani youth are attracted to their teachings. The neutrals report that Itani youth now frequently refer to themselves as the “pure race”, and in moments of emotion or drunkenness call upon the Itani people to “rise up and cleanse Terra ll of the impure”.
Reports begin arriving of growing Itani aggression. Hardline anti-Sercos are placed in high positions of power within the new Itani military. Akan is now absolute dictator of the Itani people, although with popular support. The Itani government now openly begins to preach anti-Serco propaganda, and the Itani youth are attracted to their teachings. The neutrals report that Itani youth now frequently refer to themselves as the “pure race”, and in moments of emotion or drunkenness call upon the Itani people to “rise up and cleanse Terra ll of the impure”.
AD 2650
A new wave of “attacks” secretly orchestrated by Akan strike the Itani. Akan himself seems to be targeted, but escapes unharmed. He calls this another wave of “brutal, cowardly attacks by the Serco against the pure Itani way of life”. He blames this upon the small size of the Itani Defense Force, and calls upon the youth to join the IDF. The ranks of the IDF swell, equipped with heavily weaponed and armored mechanical suits. The Serco-Itani border is frequently patrolled by Itani in mechanized suits.
The Serco weren’t idle, however. Over 300 years of progress in cybernetic engineering and genetics realize their true potential in military-use cybernetic enhancements, military cyborgs and significantly more advanced Guises. These too now patrol the border.
Most of the remaining few neutrals begin relocating further away from Serco and Itani territory to old abandoned domes. Some traders remain near the border however, profiting off of trade in weapons, drugs and information.
A new wave of “attacks” secretly orchestrated by Akan strike the Itani. Akan himself seems to be targeted, but escapes unharmed. He calls this another wave of “brutal, cowardly attacks by the Serco against the pure Itani way of life”. He blames this upon the small size of the Itani Defense Force, and calls upon the youth to join the IDF. The ranks of the IDF swell, equipped with heavily weaponed and armored mechanical suits. The Serco-Itani border is frequently patrolled by Itani in mechanized suits.
The Serco weren’t idle, however. Over 300 years of progress in cybernetic engineering and genetics realize their true potential in military-use cybernetic enhancements, military cyborgs and significantly more advanced Guises. These too now patrol the border.
Most of the remaining few neutrals begin relocating further away from Serco and Itani territory to old abandoned domes. Some traders remain near the border however, profiting off of trade in weapons, drugs and information.
Part 3: The War of Retribution
AD 2651
Thus began the War of Retribution, the inevitable clash between the Serco and Itani. And a glorious war it was, for it ended with the final expulsion of the Itani from Serco Prime, and the foundation of the modern Serco Dominion.
At the beginning of the war, the Serco leadership allowed the Itani to think they were winning. They appeared to yield to the “superior” Itani armored units, and strategically retreated from many border towns. While the Itani leadership had originally planned to exterminate the population of the captured Serco towns, the soldiers demonstrated the typical Itani lack of commitment and insubordination by refusing to do so. Instead, they decided to keep the Serco as captives. However, they had underestimated the prowess of even a civilian Serco, conditioned as they were to the weak Itani. The captured Serco gave a hard time to the Itani, with frequent uprisings that required the entire Itani guard to barely suppress.
While the Itani were suffering the consequences of their weakness, the Serco continued to build up their forces. They had tactically retreated to more defensible positions, thereby also giving the Itani the false impression that they were winning. While there had been occasional battles on the border, the use of Guises up until that point had been infrequent. The Serco had built heavy, unassailable defenses, and the Itani too had been forced to entrench themselves in the captured towns.
A year after the start of the war, the Serco hit the Itani by surprise with a sudden increase in the use of cyborg forces. The first blow was in the form of periodic night-time surgical strikes on Itani guards using small, fast-moving cyborgs that dealt gruesome damage not only to the bodies of the Itani, but also to the morale of those that survived. They also emitted shrill wails during attacks, which unnerved the Itani guards and further served to hurt their morale.
A year and a half into the war, the Serco reveal their true might for the first time in a massive offensive. Millions of Serco soldiers, cyborgs and Guises issue from the Serco fortifications, and overrun the weak and surprised Itani. The Itani are pushed back to their first border dome, fleeing with their tails between their legs, being picked off by the Serco anti-personnel cyborgs. After hours of battle, the Serco tactically retreat to their original border domes, having pushed the Itani back to their borders. This was the first major victory of the Serco in the war, and a sign of times to come.
AD 2651
Thus began the War of Retribution, the inevitable clash between the Serco and Itani. And a glorious war it was, for it ended with the final expulsion of the Itani from Serco Prime, and the foundation of the modern Serco Dominion.
At the beginning of the war, the Serco leadership allowed the Itani to think they were winning. They appeared to yield to the “superior” Itani armored units, and strategically retreated from many border towns. While the Itani leadership had originally planned to exterminate the population of the captured Serco towns, the soldiers demonstrated the typical Itani lack of commitment and insubordination by refusing to do so. Instead, they decided to keep the Serco as captives. However, they had underestimated the prowess of even a civilian Serco, conditioned as they were to the weak Itani. The captured Serco gave a hard time to the Itani, with frequent uprisings that required the entire Itani guard to barely suppress.
While the Itani were suffering the consequences of their weakness, the Serco continued to build up their forces. They had tactically retreated to more defensible positions, thereby also giving the Itani the false impression that they were winning. While there had been occasional battles on the border, the use of Guises up until that point had been infrequent. The Serco had built heavy, unassailable defenses, and the Itani too had been forced to entrench themselves in the captured towns.
A year after the start of the war, the Serco hit the Itani by surprise with a sudden increase in the use of cyborg forces. The first blow was in the form of periodic night-time surgical strikes on Itani guards using small, fast-moving cyborgs that dealt gruesome damage not only to the bodies of the Itani, but also to the morale of those that survived. They also emitted shrill wails during attacks, which unnerved the Itani guards and further served to hurt their morale.
A year and a half into the war, the Serco reveal their true might for the first time in a massive offensive. Millions of Serco soldiers, cyborgs and Guises issue from the Serco fortifications, and overrun the weak and surprised Itani. The Itani are pushed back to their first border dome, fleeing with their tails between their legs, being picked off by the Serco anti-personnel cyborgs. After hours of battle, the Serco tactically retreat to their original border domes, having pushed the Itani back to their borders. This was the first major victory of the Serco in the war, and a sign of times to come.
AD 2654
The war rages on with sporadic battles. Both maintain their borders. The Itani begin to suffer the consequences of their regressive attitude to genetics and cybernetic engineering, as the Serco begin to mass-produce Guises on-demand. The Itani army was composed of humans in mechanical suits, while the Serco army was composed largely of Guises and other cyborgs, which could be controlled in scores by a single human handler.
Being weaker on land, the Itani decide to take the war to the skies. They develop aircraft to bomb the Serco bases. The bombing bought the Itani time while the Serco settled in underground bases, meanwhile steadily building up their forces.
The war rages on with sporadic battles. Both maintain their borders. The Itani begin to suffer the consequences of their regressive attitude to genetics and cybernetic engineering, as the Serco begin to mass-produce Guises on-demand. The Itani army was composed of humans in mechanical suits, while the Serco army was composed largely of Guises and other cyborgs, which could be controlled in scores by a single human handler.
Being weaker on land, the Itani decide to take the war to the skies. They develop aircraft to bomb the Serco bases. The bombing bought the Itani time while the Serco settled in underground bases, meanwhile steadily building up their forces.
AD 2661
Little changed in the war during the intervening years. The Itani could not breach Serco borders, in spite of their altitude bombers, while the Serco still continued to give the Itani civilians a second chance by holding back their punches and not invading and capturing Itani territory. We had not yet realized then that the Itani were the same, one and all, pests who deserved no better treatment than to be completely wiped out.
Meanwhile, Akan continued to take advantage of the Serco holding back and became even more rabid in his hatred of the Serco. In early 2661, he ordered the saturation bombing of Serco civilian areas, the cities of New Shanghai and Pacificia. New Shanghai was reduced to rubble, while Pacificia was heavily damaged, being saved from complete destruction by the timely downing of one of the two bombers by Serco winged Guises. This was the final straw. Akan had poked the Guise’s nest.
The Serco had, over the past few years developed 10 of their own aircraft, with cybernetic enhancements. These aircraft were controlled through cybernetic implants in the pilots, making them thought-controlled. This allowed for agility and reaction times that the Itani could never match, encumbered with their old-fashioned manual controls.
As news of the destruction of New Shanghai and Pacificia spread through the Serco populace, we realized for the first time the true nature of the Itani. Too long had we held back. The Itani deserved only one thing. Death. As one, the Serco called for Retribution. The Day of Death was the turning point of the war.
The first blow was struck when five strategically placed Guises within the Itani government brought justice to Akan and and three of his aides. Their assassination was only the beginning.
The same day, the Serco launched a massive offensive. All ten Nightwing fighters and the entire Serco military broke out from months of containment in the bunkers, and marched to Itani territory. The borders were breached as if they did not exist. The Itani had launched eight of their aerial bombers, with over a hundred fighters as escort. They were, however, no match for the Serco Nightwings. The Nightwings, with their thought-controlled movement, downed the Itani fighters and bombers both without a single loss. In the end, the Itani resorted to the last tactic of cowards. They overloaded the reactors of their last two bombers, and suicide bombed the Serco ground forces. All for nothing. The Serco army, numbering in the millions, was not even slowed down by this cowardly attack. We had already won, and we knew it. All that was left was the final act of retribution, the annihilation of the Itani, the cowardly traitors.
The annihilation of the Itani was a glorious final act. The Serco, filled with righteous rage, had not just destroyed the Itani towns. They had wiped them off the map. From domed town to domed town the Serco army went, a massive force of destruction. The Army of Retribution.
As the dust settled, the Serco rejoiced. The Itani had been wiped out. Terra ll was finally in the hands of the righteous. Justice had been delivered. Little did we know, that some Itani continued to survive among the neutrals, breeding, waiting for a chance to strike back.
Little changed in the war during the intervening years. The Itani could not breach Serco borders, in spite of their altitude bombers, while the Serco still continued to give the Itani civilians a second chance by holding back their punches and not invading and capturing Itani territory. We had not yet realized then that the Itani were the same, one and all, pests who deserved no better treatment than to be completely wiped out.
Meanwhile, Akan continued to take advantage of the Serco holding back and became even more rabid in his hatred of the Serco. In early 2661, he ordered the saturation bombing of Serco civilian areas, the cities of New Shanghai and Pacificia. New Shanghai was reduced to rubble, while Pacificia was heavily damaged, being saved from complete destruction by the timely downing of one of the two bombers by Serco winged Guises. This was the final straw. Akan had poked the Guise’s nest.
The Serco had, over the past few years developed 10 of their own aircraft, with cybernetic enhancements. These aircraft were controlled through cybernetic implants in the pilots, making them thought-controlled. This allowed for agility and reaction times that the Itani could never match, encumbered with their old-fashioned manual controls.
As news of the destruction of New Shanghai and Pacificia spread through the Serco populace, we realized for the first time the true nature of the Itani. Too long had we held back. The Itani deserved only one thing. Death. As one, the Serco called for Retribution. The Day of Death was the turning point of the war.
The first blow was struck when five strategically placed Guises within the Itani government brought justice to Akan and and three of his aides. Their assassination was only the beginning.
The same day, the Serco launched a massive offensive. All ten Nightwing fighters and the entire Serco military broke out from months of containment in the bunkers, and marched to Itani territory. The borders were breached as if they did not exist. The Itani had launched eight of their aerial bombers, with over a hundred fighters as escort. They were, however, no match for the Serco Nightwings. The Nightwings, with their thought-controlled movement, downed the Itani fighters and bombers both without a single loss. In the end, the Itani resorted to the last tactic of cowards. They overloaded the reactors of their last two bombers, and suicide bombed the Serco ground forces. All for nothing. The Serco army, numbering in the millions, was not even slowed down by this cowardly attack. We had already won, and we knew it. All that was left was the final act of retribution, the annihilation of the Itani, the cowardly traitors.
The annihilation of the Itani was a glorious final act. The Serco, filled with righteous rage, had not just destroyed the Itani towns. They had wiped them off the map. From domed town to domed town the Serco army went, a massive force of destruction. The Army of Retribution.
As the dust settled, the Serco rejoiced. The Itani had been wiped out. Terra ll was finally in the hands of the righteous. Justice had been delivered. Little did we know, that some Itani continued to survive among the neutrals, breeding, waiting for a chance to strike back.
***Author's Note:
From here on, the story will include many mentions of the Serco government brainwashing its people. In the 21st century, where we are all too convinced of our unique individual personality and free will, such a declaration by the government would be political suicide.
However, the Serco are a military dictatorship of almost 2000 years. A sign of a truly successful dictatorship, one that is completely consolidated from the inside, is that it can not only tell its people that they are being brainwashed, it can glorify itself for doing so. A democratic government or a dictatorship that has not been completely consolidated would hesitate in doing so, as it's people would retain some ideas of free will or limiting government control. A consolidated dictatorship can glorify the act of brainwashing, genocide, media repression, etc as achievements rather than crimes.***
From here on, the story will include many mentions of the Serco government brainwashing its people. In the 21st century, where we are all too convinced of our unique individual personality and free will, such a declaration by the government would be political suicide.
However, the Serco are a military dictatorship of almost 2000 years. A sign of a truly successful dictatorship, one that is completely consolidated from the inside, is that it can not only tell its people that they are being brainwashed, it can glorify itself for doing so. A democratic government or a dictatorship that has not been completely consolidated would hesitate in doing so, as it's people would retain some ideas of free will or limiting government control. A consolidated dictatorship can glorify the act of brainwashing, genocide, media repression, etc as achievements rather than crimes.***
Part 4: The Birth of the Dominion
AD 2662
With the eradication of the Itani threat, the Serco Dominion was founded. 600 years of strife culminated in the birth of the Serco Dominion, the greatest civilization to ever exist. Old Itani values of populist leadership and tolerance, which had led to conflict for 400 years, were stamped out, replaced with modern values of devotion to the nation and military service, at any cost. Leadership based on popular opinion, a fickle and easily misled standard, was stopped, replaced by the Triumvirate of the most capable.
The first Triumvirate formed immediately after the War of Retribution, was composed of the three generals who had led us valiantly through the war. They did not stand for the weak-minded tolerance of traitorousness or weakness. They converted the Serco into the Serco Dominion, a proud nation of soldiers.
Jakoda Bonick was the head of the Military during the War, and was the founder of the Ministry of War and Justice. He was the head of the first Triumvirate. Second-in-command was Bethas Pretandis, Minister of Internal Vigilance, the spy-master during the War. Last was Mikoka Potaris, Minister of Truth and Media, in-charge of programming performance and morale during the war. These three people, the first glorious Triumvirate, created the Serco Dominion.
As the Dominion was born, Jakoda Bonick, High Commander of the Armed Forces, made a speech to signal the new dawn:
Tonight, as the people celebrate the purification of Terra ll, the Serco are freed from our repressed past, freed from the failures of populist leadership, clean of traitors and double-crossers. Tonight a new Dominion is born.
For centuries, humanity has laboured under the weak ideas of democracy, capitalism, and liberty. These are nothing but fancy words, designed to hide their true meaning: incompetent leadership, self-service, tolerance and weak government. These ideas were planted by the traitorous Itani, for the enslavement of the brilliant and hard-working Serco. This dark age of incompetent and corrupt leadership ends tonight. No more shall the Serco people labour under leaders who work towards petty self-serving ends. No more shall traitorousness and parasitism be tolerated. No more shall the incompetent rule. Tonight, a new Dominion is born.
As we celebrate our victory over the enemy, we must not let our guard down. There remain, among us, those who would see the dark ages restored, the incompetent rule, the weak prosper, and the strong enslaved. These parasites and evil-doers live among us, hidden, spreading the diseases of democracy, capitalism and liberalism. We must be vigilant. These vermin are a threat to the Serco Dominion, and deserve no better treatment than the Itani. We have achieved a great milestone with the eradication of the external enemy, and tonight, we vow to fight against the internal. Tonight, a new Dominion is born.
We vow to serve the Serco Dominion, our homeland. We vow to protect our glorious Dominion from threats, internal and external. We vow to fight, tooth and nail, against whoever has the gall to stand against the Dominion. We vow to die, and better yet, to live for the Serco Dominion. ALL HAIL THE DOMINION! HAIL SERCO!
AD 2662
With the eradication of the Itani threat, the Serco Dominion was founded. 600 years of strife culminated in the birth of the Serco Dominion, the greatest civilization to ever exist. Old Itani values of populist leadership and tolerance, which had led to conflict for 400 years, were stamped out, replaced with modern values of devotion to the nation and military service, at any cost. Leadership based on popular opinion, a fickle and easily misled standard, was stopped, replaced by the Triumvirate of the most capable.
The first Triumvirate formed immediately after the War of Retribution, was composed of the three generals who had led us valiantly through the war. They did not stand for the weak-minded tolerance of traitorousness or weakness. They converted the Serco into the Serco Dominion, a proud nation of soldiers.
Jakoda Bonick was the head of the Military during the War, and was the founder of the Ministry of War and Justice. He was the head of the first Triumvirate. Second-in-command was Bethas Pretandis, Minister of Internal Vigilance, the spy-master during the War. Last was Mikoka Potaris, Minister of Truth and Media, in-charge of programming performance and morale during the war. These three people, the first glorious Triumvirate, created the Serco Dominion.
As the Dominion was born, Jakoda Bonick, High Commander of the Armed Forces, made a speech to signal the new dawn:
Tonight, as the people celebrate the purification of Terra ll, the Serco are freed from our repressed past, freed from the failures of populist leadership, clean of traitors and double-crossers. Tonight a new Dominion is born.
For centuries, humanity has laboured under the weak ideas of democracy, capitalism, and liberty. These are nothing but fancy words, designed to hide their true meaning: incompetent leadership, self-service, tolerance and weak government. These ideas were planted by the traitorous Itani, for the enslavement of the brilliant and hard-working Serco. This dark age of incompetent and corrupt leadership ends tonight. No more shall the Serco people labour under leaders who work towards petty self-serving ends. No more shall traitorousness and parasitism be tolerated. No more shall the incompetent rule. Tonight, a new Dominion is born.
As we celebrate our victory over the enemy, we must not let our guard down. There remain, among us, those who would see the dark ages restored, the incompetent rule, the weak prosper, and the strong enslaved. These parasites and evil-doers live among us, hidden, spreading the diseases of democracy, capitalism and liberalism. We must be vigilant. These vermin are a threat to the Serco Dominion, and deserve no better treatment than the Itani. We have achieved a great milestone with the eradication of the external enemy, and tonight, we vow to fight against the internal. Tonight, a new Dominion is born.
We vow to serve the Serco Dominion, our homeland. We vow to protect our glorious Dominion from threats, internal and external. We vow to fight, tooth and nail, against whoever has the gall to stand against the Dominion. We vow to die, and better yet, to live for the Serco Dominion. ALL HAIL THE DOMINION! HAIL SERCO!