Maf: Starfleet Battles; War of IFTR

5300 A.D., Earth has conquered most of the Milky Way galaxy, now they want more.

In 5300 A.D., Earth, capital of the Interstellar Federation of the Terran Republic, has captured 80% of the Milky Way. Now they have stumbled across the “Confluence Region,” that area of space where the neighboring galaxies, the Milky Way and Snickers, intersect.

Penetrating through the Confluence Region with a fleet of huge warships, the Terrans are delighted to learn that the largest planet in the Snickers galaxy, Maf, is home to a “lost” group of Terrans who fled Earth over 3,000 years ago.

“They will be delighted to rejoin their Earth brothers,” thought the Terrans.

But the “Original Colonists” of Maf said “No.”

No one recalls which side fired the first shot. Records were lost as hundreds of ships were destroyed, blown apart into microscopic shreds by the powerful weapons of the two space fleets.

Thousands died on both sides.

But IFTR had the biggest ships, the most powerful weapons, a fleet several times larger than the Mafians’ and the Terrans technology was several generations further advanced over that of the Original Colonists.

IFTR had brought their most powerful starships — the 3,000 mile long Destiny class battlecruiser. Bristling with weapons, three of these ships arrived on scene a few hours after battle had been joined.

Incredibly, up to this point in time, IFTR seemed to be losing the battle to the outgunned, undersized and miserly technology fleet of the Original Colonists.

Trained and led by General Perold Jonas and Admiral Vasalo Sutoi, the Original Colonists’ fleet was highly motivated and extraordinarily well-trained.

The leaders and Captains of the Maf fleet began to believe they may be able to pull off a victory over the much larger warships, the much larger fleet and the more-technologically advanced ships of Old Earth.

Until the Destiny’s arrived.

With a single broadside from just one Destiny battlecruiser, hundreds of Maf ships were vaporized in an instant.

Jonas and Sutoi immediately called for a ceasefire.

The Terrans agreed, “We’ve won this war,” they thought, “this galaxy is ours.”

And then the Terran fleet commanders met the Imperial Negotiators.

It was several weeks after the one and only battle between IFTR and Maf had ended.

Meeting in orbit around a neutral planet in the Confluence Region, the two sides opened negotiations for peace.

The Terrans had won, “rightfully,” they thought, “all of the Snickers galaxy, all of the Confluence Region and the regions of the Milky Way galaxy beyond the Confluence Region,” should now all be part of the ever-expanding empire of the Interstellar Federation of the Terran Republic.

But, Maf, although losing the battle — and subsequently the war — had other thoughts.

On Maf, Imperial Negotiators are known for being extremely persuasive, almost hypnotic in their speech, appearance and mannerisms. Trained for over a decade in negotiations, sales, persuasion and similar skills, Imperial Negotiators are powerful agents for those who employ their services. And Maf employed them.

Peace talks stretched on for several weeks. Finally, the Terran Commanders and Captains and the Original Colonists accepted and signed a deal guaranteeing peace and non-interference by either party in the affairs of the other.

Also, no Terran warships were permitted entry to the Snickers galaxy and no Maf ships were allowed into the Milky Way. The Confluence Region would be permanent neutral territory between the two sides.

Only six ships from either Maf or Earth could enter or be in the Confluence Region at any time and neither party could impose its rules nor interfere with the ships of the other side nor interfere or attempt to influence the affairs of any of the minor civilizations residing in the Confluence Region.

Maf agreed to relinquish the several starbases it had established in the Confluence Region to a new organization created specifically for guaranteeing peace between IFTR and Maf. This would be the InterGalactic Authority (the IGA), headquartered at Maf’s former Starbase 17.

The Terrans returned to Earth believing they had gotten the best deal; degrading the power, prestige and scope of operations for Maf and embarrassing its political and military leadership.

Until the Terran fleet arrived at Earth.

Purveying the Peace Deal, the political leadership and military command of Earth realized; 1. They had relinquished all territorial claims to Snickers — in perpetuity. 2. Their ships were permanently banned from entering the Snickers Galaxy — effectively prohibiting Earth from entering or claiming not only Snickers but also nearly 20% of the Milky Way, forcing Earth to surrender its territories beyond the Confluence Region to Maf. 3. In so doing, Maf had expanded their territory into the Milky Way and could now claim nearly 20% of it, all without ever having entered the Milky Way before or firing a shot — and even losing the war. 4. Only six IFTR military ships could enter or be in the Confluence Region at any one time and these ships were required to keep their weapons turned off and not interfere with the affairs of the minor civilizations of the Confluence Region.

The people, the politicians and the military command of IFTR were outraged. They had won the war, but lost the peace. They had given away everything for which they had fought for the last 20 years and further advances or territorial claims were now prohibited.

The Terran Government imploded, civil war broke out and continued for a decade.

Out of the ashes of the former Interstellar Federation of the Terran Republic, warlords rose to power.

After a decade of war between themselves, they fought out a peace deal; the Empire of Man was formed; a loose coalition of states governed by powerful warlords covering nearly 90% of the Milky Way apart from that prohibited by the Peace Treaty with Maf.

Another two years was required to consolidate their power, quell rebellion and exterminate pirates and warlords who sought to remain independent.

A third year passed as the warlords learned to cooperate between themselves and settle their differences peacefully — most of the time.

Now, declaring all former treaties of the Interstellar Federation of the Terran Republic null and void, they watch, they plan, their spies spread out all across the two galaxies, gathering data, information, rumors, speculation and news from and about Maf and its bold, glittering capital of Kila Vas.

The warlords rebuild their fleets, devasted after ten years of war between themselves.

As they settle into their roles, the warlords of the Empire of Man once again look outward, to the Confluence Region and to the wealth and resources of the Snickers Galaxy beyond.