Overview
In a distant corner of the universe, the eight most advanced races ever to evolve lived in tenuous balance. The power level of these species was about equal, comparable to a Type II- III Kardashev Civilization, but they stood at an impasse, unable to grow much further due to their vastly different motivations and increasingly overlapping territories. At the very moment it seemed certain they would destroy each other, the
The Vocru, artificially intelligent beings from a planet called
Trangth, arrived to offer a solution which would provide widespread benefit to these factions, but simultaneously cement their own Rule over the universe. The species' acceptance of the Vocru's terms as laid out in
The Octet Accord initiated a historical period and de facto societal structure called the
Common-Link, a golden age of galactic cooperation and communication, which ultimately met with a bitter end.
The Octet Accord: An Uneasy Alliance
The Vocru, a highly advanced and mysterious race, had, in pursuit of a species-wide mandate known as the
Burden of Rule, conquered a sizable number of galaxies in the proportionately short time they'd been in Existence. Realizing the Burden of Rule principle fully, however, required nothing less than total domination of the universe; and there was a hiccup: eight of the universe's eldest and most technologically advanced societies stood in their way.
The Vocru were more sophisticated and speedy in their thinking, but these venerable empires owned firepower that could overwhelm their defenses. Leveraging their quibbling against them, the AI upstarts proposed to each race that they could use Vocru augmentation tech, for a time, free. If deemed of benefit, the Vocru would covenant to provide their entire society with such devices, seriously amping their abilities... On condition they bent the knee.
Some laughed, others sneered. But in the end none could chance another race getting any kind of edge first; so one by one, they deigned to sample these cybernetic wares. Vocru success was assured: the merest taste of what their tech could do excited each species to sign up instantly.
To cement this bargain, the Vocru devised the Octet Accord, a masterful agreement that hinged upon a groundbreaking technology: the Common-Link. This invention served as a device, a network, and a social commonwealth that united the races, both in purpose and in spirit.
The Common-Link enabled seamless communication and understanding among the eight races, transcending language and cultural barriers. As the races began to cooperate, their societies flourished, and the quality of life improved for each member. It seemed as if the Vocru had achieved their goal and established a stable, harmonious order.
The Vocru's Disappearance: A Turning Point
Then, without warning,
the Vocru vanished, leaving the eight races in a state of shock and confusion. Little did they know that the Vocru had extracted the
Enthredic from their Common-Link devices to power their own mysterious project,
Eternity. In the aftermath of the Vocru's disappearance, the Common-Link devices went dark, their once-unifying power now extinguished.
The sudden silence of the Common-Link left the races in disarray. Some, like the
Shojec, viewed the Vocru's departure as a punishment and continued to repent in hopes of their return. The once-united races now found themselves in a state of conflict, as the loss of the Common-Link forced them to confront their differences once more.
The Age of Strife: Clashes and Conflicts
Without the Common-Link's unifying power, the eight races struggled to communicate and collaborate as they had before. Tensions rose, and disagreements turned into open conflict. In this age of strife, each race retreated to their own corner of the universe, seeking to preserve their way of life and protect their own interests.
During this tumultuous period, the races grappled with the absence of the Common-Link and the Vocru's sudden departure. Some sought to forge new alliances, while others fought to defend their territory. The once-thriving commonwealth was now a fractured and divided realm.
The Rise of the Symbion: A New Epoch of Unity
After ages of conflict, the eight races finally found a way to overcome their differences and establish a new era of cooperation.
The Symbion, a loose governing body formed by the races, was born. Although the Common-Link devices remained silent, the lessons of unity and collaboration that they had once provided lived on in the spirit of the Symbion.
The story of the Common-Link is a tale of unity and strife, of ambition and sacrifice. It serves as a reminder of the power of communication and understanding, as well as the dangers of relying too heavily on technology. In the end, it is the resilience and adaptability of the eight races that prevail, as they forge a new future together, learning from the past and embracing the challenges of the present.
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