Fiction:Cyrannian Cold War

"I have seen eons pass before me, and all I saw before me was war. I have seen stars dim and worlds turn into molten rock, galaxies themselves collapse and the laws of spacetime bent and twisted at one's behest. Countless enemies have I faced and countless enemies have I vanquished with my weapons, my warriors, my starships. They are but dust now - their names forgotten to all by myself. Others among our kind would say that they were like insects before us, that they were weak and of no use to our magnanimous fraternity of species. They are wrong. It was only through wars against them that I learned the greatest truth of warfare — the one that eludes even the keenest thinkers among us. The truth is that not all wars are fought with weapons. In fact, it is the enemy that wages war without them that is the most dangerous. We will always win in a war of arms - but the war of ideas is infinitely more dangerous and infinitely more elusive. Whose word wins — it will be them that rules the galaxy."

- during the Era

The Cold War, referred to as the Cyrannian Cold War to those in the Outer Gigaquadrant, is the ongoing period in Cyrannian history characterised by enormous tension between the and the, both vying for ultimate control over the galaxy. Historians in Cyrannus would regard the Cold War — commonly believed to have begun as a result of the breakdown of relations between the Empire and Republic in mid-06 NE — as a watershed in the history of a galaxy divided by democracy and tyranny.

Though the Republic and the Empire cooperated during the downfall of the, the aftermath of the did not bring about the era of peace and partnership which many had hoped for. Without a common enemy to unite their interests, the Republic and the Empire's relationship deteriorated rapidly. In the years following the end of the New Cyrandia Wars, the two fundamentally opposed superpowers of Cyrannus prepare for the day many consider inevitable, when neutrality in the galaxy will not be an option, and the future decided.

Background
"We should not resort to the tactics of the Empire to defeat them. We will prevail in the conflict to come by sticking to our ideals"

- Republic Captain in the aftermath of the Borealis Rebellion.

The establishment of the on 19 Novemex, 03 NE came as a surprise to the majority of the galactic community, which had endured three years of undisputed Imperial political hegemony over much of the. Both governments signed the Treaty of Concordia later that week, which mandated the establishment of a demilitarised Neutral Zone between the two powers, which was expected to prevent armed conflict from breaking out over border tensions. The subsequent years saw the waning of Imperial supremacy in Cyrannus through a combination of factors, not least of which included the skyrocketing influence of the Republic throughout the Gigaquadrant. This decline in influence was accelerated by the, though the conflict would see the Republic and the Empire cooperate in the face of a common enemy. Nevertheless, this cooperation did not equate to esteem. Both the Republic and the Empire actively worked to undermine the other's influence, both in Cyrannus and the Outer Gigaquadrant, with the New Republic proving to be the surprising victor in this game of intergalactic chess, undermining Imperial space in Borealis and successfully influencing many extragalactic empires to declare their support for the rightful democratic galactic government.

During the final battle of the New Cyrandia Wars, the Siege of Vasuband, the Republic, and the Empire prevailed against the Cyrannian Imperial State, though jubilations were short-lived. Though many Imperial and Republic diplomats who had formed good working relationships throughout the conflict attempted to maintain good relations between the two superpowers, the Conference of Daeohre'eri in Martex 06 NE plunged relations between the two powers to the breaking point. The Cold War had begun.

Beginnings of the Cold War (06 NE - 07 NE)
In Iunius 06 NE, the New Republic and the Empire organised a conference on the Republic world of Daeohre'eri in order to discuss the development of the post-Cyrandia Wars galaxy. Republic Senators Rodyctor of Lacerta and Theodynak of the Plazithian colonies met with their Imperial Senate counterparts of Ancaoilion and Paxius of Sundarra on the steps of the planet's capital building, in which they discussed various matters ranging from colonisation regulation for extragalactics to the quarantine zone established near the remains of  world Brezank.
 * Conference of Daeohre'eri

As the meeting drew to a close, Senator Guolivian complemented the Republic's efforts to defeat the, surprising all present by declaring that "the rightful government of Cyrannus hereby extends the hand of Imperial protection to the Republic. The Emperor himself envisions a bright new future for us all under his just and infinite rule. All you have to do is sign the Concordat of Daeohre'eri and peace in the galaxy is ensured." The Republic response came quickly, with Senator Theodynak laughing in the face of the Imperial senator, bluntly stating that the Republic would never bow to Imperial tyranny. The conference soon began to deteriorate into anarchy, prompting both the Republic and Imperial delegates to withdraw back to their respective capitals. The subsequent weeks would see the collapse in Republic-Imperial relations and the beginning of rampant mutual hostility.

Trivia

 * The Cyrannian Cold War serves as the sequel to the and will last nine fiction years. However, the style of the fiction will allow it to progress more quickly.
 * The main quote at the top of the page was provided by.