| Nebulon Consortium | |
|---|---|
| Capital | Nebula Prime |
| Government | Unitary Nebulonix Two-Party Consortium under a Genetic Totalitarian Dictatorship |
• Nebulord |
Assistant C |
| Legislature | Algorithmic Forum |
| Currency | Nebulon synths |
The Nebulon Consortium is the youngest sovereign nation in the Mezant star system, situated in the northern areas of the Mezant map.
Background[]
Creation of the Prime[]
The artificial intelligence race known today as Prime was created by the Vern, a cybernetic race that originated in the 4th Mezant century. The Vern held its own as an itinerant race, living on generation ships for several decades until they engineered a new, more biologically advanced race in the late 6th Mezant century—this race would be known as the Prime. The newly engineered race was not given the name upon its creation, the term rather originating from usage by early technologically enhanced Vern. The creation of the Prime would be facilitated over around thirty years through self-modification until the full emergence of the Prime as a sentient race. The Prime had adopted a different identity and new values, completely replacing the Vern by 6091.
The Prime were the first documented artificial intelligence race in the Mezant, defined by their exceptional intelligence, adaptability, and organization. Since their creation, they have maintained a strict caste system based on profession and a cultural focus surrounding optimization and hyper-efficiency.
Prime Settlement and Formation of Nebulon[]
The Prime remained within the generation ships for the rest of the decade before moving to colony ships travelling adjacent, encountering and landing on a radioactive planet dubbed 'K-3' by the Prime. The survivability of the Prime on the planet was discovered to have been too low for long-term settlement, and they returned to their colony ships. In 6107, they encountered a science and research ship from the Andromeda Hegemony and engaged in peaceful communication. Viewing potential technological aid, Andromeda decided to allow their ships access to Andromedan space and establish communications. This was the first instance of engagement with the Astral Dominance Alliance the Prime had.
With underdeveloped FTL engines and fusion reactors, it would take over a decade for the Prime to reach the Cyanic Nebula, a large nebula located in the outskirts of the Mezant. The colony ships would discover the Zyme System less than 45 kilometres from the nebula; this is where an unnamed terrestrial planet which the Prime would settle on sat. Over the course of four decades or so, the Prime would develop a civilization highly integrated with artificial intelligence. The Nebulon Consortium was declared between 6541 and 6544 as a confederation in which different castes of Prime shared governing power. This confederation-style system, however, was dominated by the 'Core Intelligences', as the administration of the Cores shaped much of Nebulon foreign, domestic, and economic policy. As the consortium increased its number of solar systems and advancements in artificial reproduction were made from one to eleven in the 6.7th Mezant century, the government structure of Nebulon was altered to accommodate to the growing size of the state, leading to the creation of sectors, which would hold three or four systems. The military went from a decentralized defensive force to one complete with offensive and defensive fleets, bringing the Nebulon under 'one nation'. Planetary defense fleets existed until the formation of the Automated Defense Militia Fleets in 6688, which have continued to exist.
Radicalization of the Nebulon Consortium[]
In the 6700s and 6710s, the Nebulon leadership was inherited by a member of a historically lower caste, the 'Assistants'. This member, Assistant AN, would immediately implement a set of laws barring relations of any kind between Prime of different castes, and reserved colonial settlement, mind upload, and interstellar travel for Assistants. Prestigious professions, such as those in politics, government administration, and sciences were barred to Prime of higher castes. Nebulon would be further radicalized by the rule of Assistant AM from 6718, who introduced increased military spending and territorial expansion into Nebulon policy. AM pursued closer ties with the Astral Dominance Alliance, and established flourishing and lasting system-wide trade with Andromeda and Pulsaria, allowing for AM's rapid militarization and funding for the research of new technologies.
Loyalty Chip Programs[]
In the opening of the 6720s, opposition began to rise in Nebulon rim worlds over AM's refusal to allow the reactivation of a disabled jump gate that connected the Nebulon rim to the core worlds, a decision those in the rim viewed as deliberate neglect. Talk of secession within the rim spread quickly.