Contact and Exploration - An Overview: HH-826751#901
With the advent of space travel, it was only natural that races would become aware of each other and that new regions of space would be charted. It's a big galaxy that we live in though and to document all of these first contacts and exploration discoveries would fill a library (actually it fills about 79 shelves in the Central Library Institution). This condensed version covers only the important events and apologies in advance to any race/person/event that's not included - there simply isn't the time or space. Anyone interested in a specific event should contact Central Library Institution or, failing that, myself at the below address.
Where to start, where to start. Let's try the beginning. Using the standard galactic time scale (which I shall throughout) the first confirmed contact of two of our member species occurred at 0. Yes I said 0. When the galactic council was eventually founded it was decided that the first contact between two species also marked the start of time as far as the galactic council was concerned and so it was deemed zero day (unless you're a Hulogian and then it's day 5. The Hulogian numeric system doesn't go below 5 - Crazy!).
Long before the Topwer non-interference rulings, the Buxill came across the recently space faring Porinatanis. They contacted each other, arranged a meeting, and the event was marked by the Buxill ambassador eating the Porinatanis representative. Not the most auspicious of starts and made doubly worse when the Buxill party complained that their 'meal' had been somewhat stringy. Contact may have been made but it was not a resounding success and the two races have never been in contact since (and it seems unlikely given that the Buxill were wiped out by their sun going supernova following a rather stupid experiment involving condensed hydrogen pockets).
With more races developing space flight, contact was made on several fronts and information from the era is somewhat confused. The Ingredens claim that they made first contact with the Ersatinas while the Ersatinas claim that they made first contact with the Optidell (this is generally dismissed though as the Optidell were at the time wandering around naked and killing smaller life forms with sticks). The Sysoganis claim to have made first contact with the Tiltens before the Ingredens contacted whoever they contacted and many years have been spent trying to establish the facts. The generally accepted course of events concludes that the Ingredens contacted no-one until 572 and that the Sil made contact with the Iomegans in 499 (ten years before the Sysoganis made contact with the Tiltens).
With so many races contacting each other and either forming alliances, going to war, or just ignoring each other, it fell to the Piradani to suggest a galactic council in 821. The lack of technology and distances involved eventually meant that by the time the details were agreed, it had reached 986 and all parties involved agreed that the council should officially begin in 1000 (apart from the Hulogians who had to agree to it beginning at 9. The Hulogian numeric system doesn't go above 9).
Originally having a membership of only 21 worlds, the galactic council attempted to unite the galaxy and succeeded to a certain degree. Battles and disputes were generally resolved and a new era of co-operation began. Occasional disagreements and infringements caused problems and led to the expulsion of Sholotu in 1739 (later re-instated in 1939). With a combined policy of exploration, the galactic council sent forth a range of scout parties to promising worlds and saw all but 5 of the one thousand ships get either blown up, eaten, sacrificed, or, in the case of Denaba 6, sat on. Almost causing an outright war, the council setup the Topwer non-interference standards in 2692 which stated that no race may be approached until that race has developed intra-system transportation (the Raoilians attempted to amend this to, any race with intra system transportation or a nice fluffy quadruped, but were out voted). Loosely enforced to begin with, the Topwer guidelines were flaunted openly until a party of Kelevians landed on the unspoiled Varigator 6. The unannounced landing caused panic on the planet and the populace panicked and ended up committing suicide (thinking that the sky was falling down).
With the council having been in loose control for over 2000 years, and the number of member planets totalling over 5000, the mechanism for government was slowly grinding to a halt and the decision was made to split the galaxy into ten sectors. Each sector would have a governing body, and all ten governing bodies would report to a central council. Although it would have brought about a level of stability, the plan was abandoned when the Hulogians were placed in the tenth sector and no longer understood where their planet was.
The discovery of the Renari brought the galactic council sharply to attention. Contact was attempted by all means but so far the Renari have offered nothing in the way of response. Their acts of barbarism and open hostility have forced the galactic council to identify the race as being an enemy of the galaxy (the first in history). Funds to the military were increased and the Renari threat was only taken seriously a mere 300 standard years ago, despite rumours of spirit like and indestructible foes dating back to 1700. The increased Naval presence resulted in the first recordings of Renari activity a mere 50 years ago and it seems that the Renari care not a thing for the rules of the galaxy.
So what of the future? Who knows actually. The number of planets remaining undiscovered in our galaxy is reducing everyday and although many are as yet not technologically advanced enough to join, the day will surely come when our galaxy will have been totally explored. The Renari threat looms over everything and while this danger is present, the galaxy will remain a dangerous place.
Sxlee Devaris - Deputy Chief Archiver, Galactic Council
For more information please refer to the following:
Renari: Enemy Unknown (Naval document NPD-263#REN75 - Public Access Release)
Topwer Convention Minutes (Ref. No.: CDoc000691B8)