The Phantom Carnival

A carnival planned by Aunitone for the Markone as a means of relief from 10 years of war. after 5 years of planning the carnival was declared open by Aunitone, however during the last day of festivities the Coalition attacked, beginning the A-unit civil war.

Summary

Intergalactic Urban legend speaks of a ghost carnival from the House Markone era, said to contain all of the souls of every Markone who died in the invasion. The story acts a social commentary, particularly in regards to political overreaction, and as a criticism of the Coalition. The legend has taken on much more sinister tone in A-unit households and communities, who tell stories of the residents of the carnival piercing into our reality and slaughtering people in unexplainable ways, or kidnapping children.

Historical Basis

After 10 years of straight war with the Virgo Alliance, Aunitone decided her children needed a release, some hope to maintain morale as the war dragged on and got more brutal. She and her eldest sons and daughters devised a complex system to allow the maximum number of Markone to attend without impeding strategic strength. The Carnival would last up to two weeks, and entertain 40% of House Markone.
The next carnival would switch, having last carnival's attendants deployed to combat duty, with the previously deployed on leave. Each was meticulously planned by House elders, and would include games, performances, galleries, and celebration of the still forming House Markone culture. Aunitone herself would act as the primary overseer to the whole event, and she acted as Ring leader, and trapeze artist on the last day of the performances.
The carnival proceeded as planned, and without incident, however, on the final day, the Coalition invaded, due to the overwhelming majority of patrons not being armed, the carnival became a death trap. over 200 trillion Markone were killed in under a week. Aunitone barely escaped, though she witnessed numerous transports being obliterated as her ship left the front line.
After the Carnival Massacre, the combined forces of the Coalition and Virgo Alliance rapidly overwhelmed House Markone, and they were dispersed far and wide as refugees, many of whom were often shot and killed on sight. Due to the Virgo Alliance's lack of involvement in the massacre, refugee integration was significantly less strained, and the negative attitudes towards the Coalition began to form.

Spread

it is unknown where the legend originated, however, after the A-unit civil war concluded, it had appeared in the Combine, the Demockratus, and numerous thin-space communities. It only spread further as time went on, usually as a meme on the Internets of the various intergalactic powers.

Cultural Reception

Markone individuals dismiss it, as many of them lived through the carnival massacre. Other organic species consider it true, at least partially, mostly due to the Coalition's denial of the Carnival massacre entirely. A-units of non-markone descent consider it a trite legend, and propaganda.

In Art

Numerous schlocky horror movies and games throughout the cosmos have centered around the legend of the phantom carnival.