The historical information below is related to the Imperium of Zungzamia has been declassified by order of the President of the United Republic. Years from the Era of Defiance that correspond to the Imperial years have been added to provide context.
1533 IA [8 EoD]
The Military Science Directorate of Imperial Ministry of War and Kuvot Imperial University of Science and Technology (Kuvot S&T) develop plans to take-over a civilian mining operation and the construct a secret Imperial military and scientific outpost on the surface of Tulemaa; the habitable and resource-rich fourth moon of Zungzamia VII, for the purpose of researching, designing and constructing a military spacecraft capable of travelling in sidespace, thus faster-than-light. These plans, developed over the next six years and classified under the highest military security protocols, become known as ‘Operation Light Speed’.
1536 IA [11 EoD]
After numerous revisions and review by the Ministry of War the plans developed by the Military Science Directorate (MilSci) and Kuvot S&T known as ‘Operation Light Speed’ are reviewed by The Imperator, who gives his approval for the operation. Due to the secrecy involved, full implementation is expected to take up to 30 years.
Imperator Zekhar Cassius issues the Imperial Secrets Decree of 1529 as part of ‘Operation Light Speed’. The decree declares all information and activities related to the operation are classified as ‘Beta-1’ secret and requiring Level 10 security clearance. Furthermore, it states that distributing or receiving information related to the operation will result in a sentence of life imprisonment.
1538 IA [12 EoD]
Twelve MilSci agents begin their employment at the headquarters of Rostati-Kah’in Mining Corporation, a civilian mining and manufacturing company based on Kah’in. Over the next three years, eight more agents gain employment in various divisions of the company while 20 other agents infiltrate other companies important to ‘Operation Light Speed’.
1543 IA [18 EoD]
The Council of Overseers of the Rostati-Kah’in Mining Corporation (RKC) selects a new Prime Executive (P.E.) to run the company following the retirement of the previous P.E.. Having worked for the company for only twelve years the new P.E. skyrocketed through the managerial ranks of the company.
1546 IA [21 EoD]
With all personnel, material and technology in place, the final stages of ‘Operation Light Speed’ begin to be implemented: at the RKC headquarters on Kah’in, the MilSci agent acting as the P.E. issues orders that, as they6 are implemented by other MilSci agents and unknowing employees, begin the slow financial degrade of the company.
1551 IA [26 EoD]
Due to massive financial debt, RKC begins to sell its various operations to whoever will buy them in order remain in operation. Stunned by the amount of debt accumulated, the company’s Council of Overseers intends to terminate the P.E. however the board members are killed in an explosion at the company’s headquarters. An investigation of the explosion later in the year reveals that the deaths of the overseers was the direct result of a “terrorist” attack committed by the ‘Veronica Rebellion’.
As the investigation is being conducted, the Imperator through the Ministry of Commerce, grants RKC a special reprieve from Imperial Law on the use of a Council of Overseers. This reprieve allows the MilSci agent P.E. to run the company as the agent sees fit with minimal oversight by the Commerce Ministry.
1555 IA [30 EoD]
Imperator Zekhar Cassius issues the Imperial Secrets Decree of 1555 as part of ‘Operation Light Speed’. The decree declares all information and activites related to the operation are classified as ‘Beta-1’ secret and requiring Level 10 security clearence. Furthermore, it states that distributing or receiving information related to the operation will result in an automatic sentence of life imprisonment.
1556 IA [31 EoD]
As the final stages of ‘Operation Light Speed’ continue to be implemented, MilSci personnel at the Rostati-Kah’in Mining Corporation’s (RKC) space station orbiting Tulemaa (Z7-D) assume command, sending all civilians to the surface.
1557 IA [32 EoD]
The Rostati-Kah’in Mining Corporation continues to sell its various operations throughout the year in what is ultimately a futile attempt to regain financial stability. The company’s Tulemaa operations are sold to a “dummy” corporation owned by Kuvot S&T and backed by the Military Science Directorate. By the end of the year, after more than 500 years in business, The Rostati-Kah’in Mining Corporation is no more.
1558 IA [33 EoD]
Leading Imperial scientists and engineers with knowledge about sidespace, particular those from Kuvot S&T, move to the secret Tulemaa outpost to continue their research. Once they are settled in, the scientists and engineers begin discussions on possibilities of the uses of sidespace, particularly for communication and transportation.
1585 IA [60 EoD]
After more than 25 years of discussion and experimentation with little success at the Tulemaa outpost, a group of scientists use computer simulations to successfully prove that a space craft can travel in sidespace. Over the next few years other groups are able to successfully duplicate the results of the initial group.
1588 IA [63 EoD]
Successfully proving that travelling is sidespace is possible, the scientists and engineers at Tulemaa begin discussions on the development and design of the Imperium’s first Faster-Than-Light engine. Discussions that include Military Science Directorate personnel involve the use of existing military spacecraft or the development of a new, dedicated craft to house the FTL engine.
1593 IA [68 EoD] (1800 CE)
Over the last thirty-five years at the Imperial Tulemaa outpost, scientists and engineers have been discussing the possibilities of the uses of sidespace and develop hypotheses to test the feasibility of using subspace for communication or transportation or both. Some of the scientists and engineers even begin testing their hypotheses with no or very little initial success.
1598 IA [73 EoD] (1805 CE)
Dubbed by the scientists and engineers at Tulemaa as the “Slide Drive”, initial designs for the Imperium’s first Faster-Than-Light engine and ship are completed and presented to an advisory committee of the Imperial Military Science Directorate, beginning the approval process that goes all the way to the Imperator.
1600 IA [75 EoD]
After numerous changes over the past twelve years, the designs for the Imperium’s first Faster-Than-Light Slide Drive engine and ship are presented to the Imperator. After several months of personal analysis and review, Imperator Zekhar Cassius gives his approval and permission to construct the first FTL ship.
1604 IA [79 EoD] (1811 CE)
Imperator Zekhar Cassius dies at the age of 179 after 100 years of Imperial rule. His son, Crown Prince Mikael is crowned and ascends the Imperial Throne as Alexander, the 21st Imperator of Zungzamia at the age of 151.
1605 IA [80 EoD]
Materials for the construction of the Imperium’s first FTL Slide Drive ship arrive at the Tulemaa outpost after five years of delays. Progress will be made but in two years delievery of vital materials will hals construction for four years.
1611 IA [86 EoD]
Construction of vessel components resumes on the surface of Tulemaa as construction of the orbital assembly facility attached to the orbiting space station begins.
1616 IA [91 EoD]
With the completion of the orbital assembly facility, completed vessel components are transferred to the facility and assembly of the first FTL ship gets underway.
1617 IA [92 EoD]
Assembly and on-board systems tests are completed on the Imperium’s first FTL ship. The vessel is launched from the orbiting assembly facility on thrusters however is towed to a testing area beyond the orbit of Zungzamia X (10) to prevent the vessel’s detection. After arriving at the testing area, Sub-FTL test flights begin.
1618 IA [93 EoD]
Assembly of the second FTL ship begins. Sub-FTL test flights for the first FTL ship continue throughout the year.
1619 IA [94 EoD] (1826 CE)
12 Tetribrium – First FTL flight: The first Imperial FTL ship activates its Slide Drive & exceeds light-speed, reaching a velocity of Slide 1.05. For the remainder of the year, the first FTL ship continues FTL test flights. By the end of the year a second FTL ship joins the first in the testing area and at Tulemaa, assembly of the third and fourth FTL ships gets underway.
17 Novimbrium - The second Slide Drive ship exceeds Slide 1.
1630 IA [105 EoD]
Vessel component construction for the first FTL-capable cargo/troop transport begins.
1631 IA [106 EoD]
5 Trebrium - The third and fourth Slide Drive ships begin sub-FTL flight tests.
Each of the FTL ships undergoes modifications to incorporate weapons for “defensive purposes only”.
1632 IA [107 EoD]
Sub-FTL and FTL test flights conducted on the first FTL-capable cargo/troop transport. Construction of three more FTL ships, one standard ship and two cargo/troop transports begins.
1637 IA [112 EoD]
The three remaining FTL ships are launched using thrusters, and like the others, are towed to the testing area to begin sub-FTL and FTL flight tests.
1663 IA [138 EoD] (1870 CE)
20 Decimbrium – An alien space craft appears just inside the Zungzamian star system. Using the FTL transport, Imperium MilSci personnel and a few civilian engineers board the ship while most of its systems are offline and the crew is unconscious. Once the crew revives they are forced to move the ship to the Tulemaa outpost.
1664 IA [139 EoD]
Imperator Zekhar grants permission to the Tulemaa outpost military personnel to begin torturing the alien ship’s crew and execute some of them if absolutely necessary. He also grants permission to the Tulemaa scientists and engineers to study the captured alien vessel to learn its’ secrets. The Imperator also orders all development of FTL ships halted while Tulemaa scientists and engineers study the alien vessel.
The Imperator issues the Imperial Secrets and Security Decree of 1664 which classifies all information related to the alien ship and crew as “Alpha-2 Top Secret”; requiring Level 10 security clearance and if any information is divulged to others without proper clearance all involved will receive a sentence of life imprisonment.
1674 IA [149 EoD] (1881 CE)
Having gained access to the alien ship's computers five years earlier, Imperial Tulemaa scientists use the computers' translation software to translate vessel's general and historical databases into Zungzamian; learning significant information about the ship and its governing authority—The United Federation of Planets.
Having been provided and reading through the information from the alien ship, Imperator Zekhar issues Imperial Secrets and Security Decree of 1674 which transforms ‘Operation Light Speed’ into ‘Operation Imperial Federation’. Furthermore, the decree classifies all material related to the Federation, the USS Buran (the alien ship) and its crew to “Alpha-1 Top Secret”; requiring Level 10-Alpha security clearance and if any information is divulged to others without proper clearance all involved are sentenced to life termination.