Antimatter Crisis

The Antimatter Crisis was a period of 11 years, beginning in 2509, during which antimatter became exceptionally scarce in human space. This resulted in most wormhole stations being severely under-supplied with antimatter, and thus unable to maintain the wormholes linking human star systems. This resulted in the The United Leagues of Earth being unable to maintain control of its outermost colony systems. As a result, the federal government of Earth voted to grant increased autonomy to the Outer Systems League in 2515, resulting in the effective independence of the star states of the Outer Systems.
The precise cause of the Antimatter Crisis is still a matter of debate. Many historians argue that Neo-Nationalist terror attacks on antimatter production facilities were the primary cause, while others hold that it was caused by governmental overreach and mismanagement of both wormhole stations and antimatter production. More recently, some physisicists have suggested that the power requirements for maintaining wormholes in local spacetime may have temporarily seen a dramatic increase for unknown reasons beginning in 2509.

Table of Contents

Early Stages

During the beginning stages of the Antimatter Crisis, it was widely expected that antimatter production and distribution would return to normal in a matter of months. By mid-2510, however, it had become evident that this would not be the case. Economies across the United Leagues began to crash as interstellar supply chains and trade routes became almost entirely untenatble. Additionally, the inability to maintain stable wormhole connections between inhabited star systems made defence much more difficult, as the United Leagues of Earth Navy was unable to quickly respond to pirate or stellar nomad threats with sufficient force. As a result of core ULE space coming under greater threat, military resources were withdrawn from regions deemed to be lower risk beginning in 2513, so that more naval assets would be within range of any nomad incursions or pirate concentrations.

The Great Migration

Initial Migrations

The Outer Systems were the region hardest hit by the withdrawl of ULE forces to the inner systems. While local defence forces were maintained in inhabited systems, and a rapid response force remained in Luax, this proved insufficient for the defence of the Outer Systems League. Between 2513 and 2520, groups of stellar nomads began entering Outer Systems space en masse, seizing control of spaceborne infrastructure throughout most systems. Only a handful of systems, including Zeta Tucanae and Luax were able to prevent large-scale nomad incursions.

Serikov's Armada

In 2521, the nomad Admiral Ardager Serikov, who by this time had assembled a number of previously disparate nomad flotillas under his banner, launched a series of invasions across the outer Systems. Within two years, he had siezed control of several star systems, including Rukwa, Avastus, Aeneas, Beta Hydri, Odola, and Morobe. His numerous victories over local forces won him great respect and fear among the nomad flotillas, many of whom flocked to his cause in the hope of sharing the spoils. In each of the occupied systems, spaceborne infrastructure was directly taken over by nomads, while inhabited planets and larger habitats were forced to pay tribute to whichever flotilla was charged with their "defence". Each flotilla in turn payed tribute to Serikov's own flotilla, and assisted in military campaigns.
By 2523, Serikov has assembled a force large enough to threaten the ULE's fleet in Luax. In May that year, a vast armada of more than a hundred capital ships entered the system via jump drive, and quickly engaged the ULE fleet and local forces. Despite taking heavy losses, Serikov's armada emerged victorious, forcing the remaining ULE ships to retreat to Zeta Tucanae via jump drive, while the local forces either surrendered or were destroyed. Serikov quickly had his technicians disable the gateway leading to Epsilon Eridani to prevent a counterattack from the ULE, and also began establishing Luax as his new base of operations.
In February 2524, Serikov assembled his forces for another offensive, this time into the Mutenia system. He quickly seized control of space assets throughout the system, and divided them among the flotillas of his loyal followers. By April, his fleet was in orbit of Orizont, demanding the submission of both sides of the planet's ongoing civil war. When both refused, he ordered a limited nuclear bombardment, devastating several major cities and military installtions. Rather than surrender, however, the Orizonters briefly halted their conflcit with one another to launch a nuclear counterstrike against Serikov, destroying 19 of 61 capital ships and numerous smaller vessels. Taken by surprise, Serikov quickly left orbit of Orizont and retreated to Luax to assemble another invasion force.
Shortly after Serikov's fleet left Mutenia, Orizont's Congress came to an agreement with Headman Thiudimir Neuer, who had previously been one of Serikov's foremost lieutenants. Neuer spent several months leading his flotilla against the remaining fleets loyal to Serikov in the system, reclaiming Mutenia in the name of the Orizonter Congress, before returning the Orizont to assist in the continuing civil war.
In January 2525, Serikov returned with an even larger invasion force, this time numbering 75 capital ships in addition to smaller vessels. Easily defeating the token resistance around the gateway, the armada reached Orizont by February 6th, entering a more cautious high orbit of the planet, with screening ships ready to intercept planetary defences. However, Neuer's fleet, which had been hiding in the shadow of Orizont, launched a massive barrage of missiles toward the fleet, using ground-based targeting assets belonging to Congressional forces. At the same time, Orizont launched its own ground-based attack, overwhelming the armada's defences and inflicting massive damage on the fleet. Neuer's fleet aggressively followed up this surprise attack with a direct assault with energy and projectile weapons. By the time the battle was over, all but 6 of Serikov's ships had been destroyed or captured, and Serikov himself was taken prisoner, and later executed.

Recovery

Following the death of Admiral Serikov, the flotillas that had previously been united under him turned to fighting over their conquests. His fledgling empire quickly began to disintegrate, allowing the stronger star states to begin recovering. Beginning in late 2525, the government of Zeta Tucanae, assisted by the remnants of the ULE Luax fleet, began a series of offensives against nomad forces occupying nearby star systems. In June of 2526, the ULE returned to Luax with a large fleet, destroying or driving off the now disparate nomad forces occupying the system.
Over the following years, many occupying nomad flotillas reorganised themselves and integrated with existing political structures, becoming part of the governing bodies of militaries of several star states. Those that did not do so were either destroyed or driven off by resurgent Outer Systems powers. Foremost among these powers were Zeta Tucanae, Tavastia, and Orizont, who spearheaded the reconquest of the Outer Systems League. These three powers would then spend the next several decades locked in a cold war, until the Tavastian War once again dramatically altered the status quo.
By the early 2530s, antimatter supply had stabilised, though at lower levels than before the crisis. Most gateways were reopened, though some systems remained cut off, becoming known as the Lost Systems. With the crisis largely over, the Outer Systems began to stabilise and recover, though the region had by this time become incredibly fragmented, and the Outer Systems League reduced to a merely nominal status.

Start Date
2509
End Date (Earth Space)
2520
End Date (Outer Systems)
~2530
Consequences
Effective independence of numerous star states from the united Leagues of Earth.
Increased power of stellar nomad flotillas.
Widespread adoption of Stellar Autarky.