Fiction:Vandal movement

The Vandals was a term for the loose association of galactic isolationists who opposed the newly emerging extra-galactic politics that was rapidly shaping the Plazith Rim in the mid 27th century. The movement was one of the largest in contemporary times, incorporating peoples from more than a dozen major powers, and was characterised by economic disruption caused by mass demonstration, political uncertainty, and occasionally extremist violence. While the vandals have been immortalised as a conservative and narrow-minded movement who opposed change, little is said for the disproprtionate force and subversion the vandals themselves experienced from authorities, especially the Seven Starr Alliance.

Ambitions
The vandals were not opposed to extragalactic contact per see. This was known to have been quitely going on for millenia with elusive civilisations like the Draconid Imperium, Grox Meta-Empire and other precursors. The movement sprung from the opposition to the emergence of extra-galactic institutions that harmonised trading regulations and defence. Some were threatened by the fear of losing local sovereignty and identity, or even a loss of profitable value to local production. Other proponents of galactic isolation feared the effects of colonialism both within and beyond the galaxy's borders by foreign or native powers. Some of the more extremist elements believed that the native inhabitants faced unknown existential threats. The main argument against this position was that it would be better to ascertain the threat in order to make the necessary preparations (preciptating the The Great Expedition in the 2750s). In almost cruel irony, the fears turned out to be more true than anticipated in official capacity.

History
By the 2730s, the galactic isolationists were beginning to assemble with support for each other, spurred on by the forcing of some minor powers to retreat into their borders due to political change. This picqued the interest of the Seven Starr Alliance, a young organisation tasked with resolving multinational crises as powers converged near the the core of the galaxy. The Delphans (co-founders of the SSA) were particarly displeased with the acts of rebellion, and took it upon themselves to pressure smaller powers in the SSA to crack-down on public disoebedience. Fearing possible explusion, member states began putting pressure on home-grown movements by means kettling, incarceration, coercive reeducation, and even executation such as mind wipes in less free states.

As a result of the crack-down on peaceful demonstration, more revolutionary elements of the movement began to gain legitimacy. Unfortunately because of the decentralised manner of the movement, it also attracted people who took advantage for their own personal gain. By 2743, the Great Archives on Orathvor were hacked and subverted, causing more damage to information of scientific or histeric interest. A year later, an Oimonsk-administered SSA financial hub was destroyed in an act of nanoterrorism (although less people died from the incident than portrayed), causing a market crash. The moderate members of movement tried to distance themselves from the violent activity by extremists, but all were derided as "vandals" by authorities in the SSA. The saboteurs wore this term as a badge of honour, and so the Vandals were born.

The Vandals reached their peak activity in the 2750s, coinciding with embroilment of the SSA in the Tigris War, which had intruded from outside the galaxy as a direct result of The Great Expedition and the DCP's interventions. The Congregation had launched a short but brutally indiscriminate attack on the galaxy, inflicting losses to civilian life on member states not seen since the Grox were a competent threat. The meme "we warned you so" started by the isolationists entered popular discourse. In truth however, most historians agreed that the War of Ages would have intruded just a bit later, and without any preparation.

The Vandals and their rallying cry began to dissolve within the next decade, in spite of attempts to plant the movement across the expanding Gigaquadrant. Most activists retired and people lost interest, while some of the veteran extremists who evaded the authorities winded up in crime syndicates like the Wranploer Legion where they may still operate. Nothing could stop the wind of change that was rapidly altering galactic politics. The mechanics of war, trade and settlement had become extragalactic forever.