Spartak
Overview
Spartak is an independent world within the borders of the Emissariate of Bolusca, 2300 parsecs coreward of Bolusca. It lies on the edge of the Bolusca-Krai Neutral Zone, in a minor rift (now named the Spartak rift) between two galactic arms.
Planetary Characteristics
Spartak is a class B world, with physical characteristics almost identical to Bolucsa, and a climate and ecology ideally suited to Boluscan life.
The native population of Spartak is genetically almost identical to Boluscans, which is presumed to be rare incidence of divergent evolution. The current native population is a little under half a billion, although there are no exact planetary census figures.
History
Due to its extreme distance from both Bolusca and the Krai Homeworld, and its relatively isolated position in a galactic rift, Spartak was overlooked by both Krai and Boluscan explorers. In the aftermath of the Second Krai war, the peace treaty established the line of the Neutral Zone along the coreward edge of the Spartak rift, placing the Spartak system within Emissariate space. It was routinely scanned by Emissariate scouts, who recorded it as an inhabited world with a primitive culture, and possibly suitable for colonization. But despite the favourable conditions, the distance from Bolusca still meant that the world was overlooked as a colonization target for decades.
As improvements in hyperdrive technology increased the distance a fleet could travel in hyperspace, Emissariate Fleet strategists decided that Spartak was a world of potential importance. A Fleet exploration cruiser, the ESS Undertaking, was sent to survey the world and report on its suitability as a military outpost. It's captain had visited the world many cycles before as a junior officer on a scout ship, and recalled the world as a paradise with friendly and peace-loving inhabitants. To the captain's surprise, on this second visit he found a culture of paranoid and hostile tribes. It was soon discovered that the Krai had been covertly visiting the world and subtly moulding the Spartaks into a people who would resist all Boluscan approaches.
With dazzlingly incompetent diplomacy, the Boluscan captain managed to introduce advanced weapons to the Spartaks and precipitated a full-scale inter-tribal war. Emissariate diplomats have spent the last several cycles trying to undo this damage.
The Emissariate currently maintains a Fleet outpost on an outer world of the Spartak system and watches for further Krai incursions, while diplomats attempt to bring the world into the Emissariate.
Spartaks
The Spartaks are genetically and physically identical to Boluscans in all ways.
When first encountered, the Spartaks were a peaceful, pastoral species, organised into several tribal groups spread across the temperate regions of Spartak's main continent. Their culture and technology was two thousand cycles or more behind Bolusca's. The Emissariate survey group was careful not to disrupt the Spartaks' culture or introduce any advanced technologies. Between the first and second Emissariate contacts, however, Krai infiltrators began introducing limited advanced technology, including weapons, to select tribal leaders, and encouraging those leaders to conquer their still-pacifistic neighbours. When the Emissariate crew of the ESS Undertaking arrived, they found a culture divided into aggressive conquerers and passive victims. They began a counter-intervention that ignited a short but bloody war, which only ended with much hard work on the part of Emissariate diplomatic missions.
The Spartaks are now divided into several antagonistic nations, with the peace barely preserved. The Emissariate has slowly introduced more technology to the formerly primitive Spartaks, using the promise of ever greater technology as an incentive for the Spartaks to maintain their peace.
Recently, diplomatic efforts have managed to unite several national leaders into a loose confederation, and this is seen as a major step towards Spartak applying for Emissariate membership.
Spartak technology is currently at an early-industrial level. The Boluscan outpost on the planet maintains the same level of technology, with covert use of advanced technology where necessary. Consequently, although the Spartaks are aware of the Boluscans' off-world nature, and understand that there is vastly greater technology "out there", they have very little knowledge of it.
Infrastructure
The Emissariate maintains a small outpost on the planet's surface, supported by a small base on Spartak's moon. There is a Fleet station based on a moon of the system's seventh world, which is used as a stop-over by various border patrol units, but there are rarely Fleet elements based in-system.
Notable Individuals
- Ambassador Kovak.