• Once on a planet, the Cretarakian flocks unleash a devastating ground attack. Their speed, natural flight, and high-powered weaponry makes them an unstoppable force. Within one week, all ground armies are overwhelmed.
• Whitokian governments, based underwater, remain intact, but all land is overtaken.
• Prawatt Jihad has more time to react, being at the edge of the galaxy. They irradiate outlying worlds and colonies, and fall back to their system. They manage to destroy all of the Cretarakian ships targeted for their core system.
• Quyth government retreats to irradiated worlds, where the Cretarakians choose not attack.
• Planetary Union forces, led by Admiral Joshua Baugh, attempt a desperate attack on the Cretarakian homeworld. The Cretarakians use their captured warships to hold off the attack.
• League of Planets Blue Fleet, numbering over 1,000 vessels, joins the assault, but the Cretarakians are waiting — they have discovered a design flaw in League ships, and manage to use small boarding vessels to swarm the League ships, capturing all ships in one devastating tactical stroke.
• Ki Empire and Ki Rebellion navies join forces in an attack on the Cretarakian homeworld, but are soundly defeated by the technologically advanced captured League ships.
• Almost 90 °Cretarakian warships and landing vessels enter the Portath Cloud and are never heard from again.
2641 Cretarakians demand the surrender of all navies. Initially all systems refuse, but the Cretarakians begin to execute thousands of hostages every day.
• The Planetary Union surrenders first, on the orders of Admiral Joshua Baugh.
• The Ki Empire surrenders.
• The Ki Rebellion manages to evacuate government officials to a warship, and declare themselves a space-faring race, abandoning their planets.
• Purist Nation surrenders.
• Tower Republic surrenders.
• Leekee Collective surrenders.
• League of Planets surrenders.
2642 Cretarakians abandon efforts to pacify Rewall Association and Kurgurk. Scientists aren’t even sure if the Kurgurk knew the Cretarakians were on their planets — the Cretarakian armies were completely ignored.
• Harrah Tribal Accord surrenders.
• Sklorno Dynasty surrenders.
• Cretarakians abandon efforts to pacify irradiated Quyth Concordia planets.
• Cretarakians abandon efforts to pacify Whitok Kingdom — Whitokian underwater combat technology too great to overcome.
2643 Cretarakians in clear control of the Galaxy. Most species suspect existing governments are working with the Cretarakians, creating an overpowering, Cold War atmosphere of distrust.
• Murder rates skyrocket, as do isolationist cults and cross-species violence.
2644 In an effort to control cross-species violence and racism, the Cretarakians take over all shipping between worlds.
2645 Cretarakian shipping proves to be clumsy and poorly communicated. Goods and services are delivered late, often not at all, and industry begins to suffer heavily.
2646 The Galaxy dives headlong into economic depression. Despite strict Cretarakian discipline, murder and violence rates continue to climb. In cities and planets that formerly encouraged diversification, violence becomes a daily occurrence.
• The Cretarakians begin to realize they don’t understand the behavior of other species. Cretarakian scientists assumed that once they had control of all military forces, a great peace would ensue.
2647 The Dark Time — the depression hits the worst levels ever, with galactic unemployment at 25 percent.
• Cross-species relations reach an all-time low.
• Organized crime swells to new heights, providing unobtainable goods and services for exorbitant prices.
2648 The Cretarakians give up on their role as the galaxy’s shippers, turning the duties over to the Ki Empire.
2649 The Ki Empire provides an overall organizational structure, coordinating the shipping fleets of all subjugated governments. Almost overnight, the demand for imported goods and services skyrockets as items once again become available on most worlds.
2650 The Planetary Union introduces a galactic supply-and-demand computing system, tying all shipping vessels into one gigantic, coordinated fleet. Economic recovery continues to boom.
2651 Despite increased trade, cross-species violence is still a major problem, so severe it interferes with shipping as vessels are illegally searched and crews harassed or detained based on race.
• Ki Rebellion piracy becoming a major problem.
• Organized crime grows stronger by preying on shipping.
• Cretarakians refuse to give any government warships to deal with the piracy problem.
2652 Cross-species violence becomes an epidemic as terrorists do the unthinkable, simultaneously nuking three cities (one each on the Planetary Union’s Earth, Leekee Collective’s Grinkas and Ki Empire’s Ki). Purist Nation is suspected, but there is no proof.
2653 Cretarakians ask for help in controlling cross-species violence and piracy. Planetary Union officials introduce a plan for “System Police” departments — para-military forces made up of indigenous species that protect their various governments.
• SP ships are armed, but are significantly weaker than Cretarakian warships.
• SP ships are given limited search-and-seizure powers.
2654 Cretarakians finally admit they need help in improving species relations. League of Planets steps up, introducing non-contact galactic sporting events.
• Sports have historically brought races together, not only for humans, but for all sentient species.
• League scientists believe group dynamics that have held true for intra-species race relations will also hold true for inter-species relations.
2657 The sporting events prove to be a boon to the entertainment and travel industries, but is not producing the predicted cross-species cooperation.
• Physiology results in single species dominating various sports.
• Harrah dominate all racing events.
• Ki dominate all strength, hand-to-hand combat, and throwing events.
• Sklorno dominate non-contact field sports like soccer.
• Humans dominate all hand-eye coordination sports like hockey, archery, etc.
The Galactic Football League Era
2658 League scientist Demarkus Johnson unveils a plan for the Galactic Football League.
• Football is the only sport where various positions cater to the different physiologies.
• The Cretarakians readily accept, funding a test league of 12 teams.
2659-
2661 The GFL is an immediate success, as it forces species to work together. In addition, it is the first occurrence in decades where fans of one species root for players of another.
2662 The GFL expands to 14 teams.
2663 Purist Nation citizens rise up against Creterakian control. System-wide riots occur as citizens attack Cteretakian garrisons. Creterakians bring in military reinforcements to quell uprising.
• Human death count uncertain, at least 12,000.
• Creterakian death count: 7,213.
• Reverend Abdul Smith uses situation to mount bloody coup, takes over church leadership.
• Smith works with Creterakians to investigate uprising, uses investigation to remove potential enemies.
• Millions flee Purist Nation as Smith’s Creterakian death squads spread through system.
2664 Demand for teams is so great that the GFL expands to 18 teams.
• Station 1 Givers, Buddah City Elite, Hittoni Hullwalkers and Srabian Salient added.
2665 “The Disaster.” Purist Nation police under Abdul Smith’s orders impounds the New Rodina Astronauts’ team bus. The Purist Nation police accuse the Astronauts of spying — all non-human players are executed.