Invasion of the Surnay

The War That Changed Everything

Near the end of the Imperalist Age, the Surnay — a powerful, aggressive, and technologically advanced humanoid species — swept into Ruartei with a large armada of warships. Their military campaign started in the outer fringes, crushing the smaller settlements.

Once they reached and ravaged a few of the more populated worlds, they abruptly changed tactics. Their main fleet soared directly to Nay’air, completely destroying its home world, its technology, and military might. Afterwards, they hunted down what remained of the Nay’air’eth warships and continued their conquest of Ruartei Space.

The Imperium forces, along with Artala and some military warships hastily assembled by other major worlds, fought and lost battle after battle until Artala discovered a weakness in the Surnay battle fleet and destroyed it in a surprise attack. None of the Surnay escaped, and they were unable to send any last messages to their home world.

The Conflict

Prelude

By the time of the Surnay invasion, the Imperium had spread its control over most of Ruartei — nearly all space-faring worlds were either member worlds, subjugated conquests, or highly influenced (or controlled) by the Imperium’s commercial network and military prowess. The rest of the worlds consisted of the few remaining Elder worlds, minor worlds not yet absorbed, and — of course — Nay’air and Artala.

The Elder Worlds engaged in the highly profitable interstellar economy, sometimes operating key centers of commerce and industry. But other than planetary peace-keeping forces, minimal in-system star bases, and a few naval warships to protect their most critical merchant vessels from marauders, they depended on the military powers for protection and interstellar safety.

The three military powers — the Imperium, Nay’air, and Artala — possessed both defensive and offensive capabilities, large naval fleets, efficient communication systems, and state of the art technology.

The Imperium had, for over a thousand years, the most powerful naval forces — using them to both expand their empire and to enforce interstellar security for commerce and industry.

Artala had… well, no one really knew what Artala had. The enigmatic and secretive world definitely had an outstanding naval force — as other worlds had learned to their chagrin. A few select worlds, near the fringes of Ruartei Space, insisted that Artala provided a great deal of protection to them, but Imperium analysts dismissed these unproven assertions.

Nay’air — with its focus on innovation, technology research, artificial intelligence, improved armaments, and ever faster and more efficient warp drive engines — had just surpassed all the military capabilities of the Imperium, the rest of the Ruartei worlds, and (according to Imperium experts) Artala.

At this point, the Nay’air considered themselves the most advanced race in the galaxy, but they had not yet encountered any beings as powerful and aggressive as the Surnay. Neither had Artala, the Imperium, nor any of the other Elder worlds. And the peoples of Ruartei Space did not realize they were totally unprepared for the Surnay invasion until well after it started.

Deployment

Surnay Fighter Ship by Tulonsae using MidjourneyAI

The Surnay were the aggressor in this war. They swept into Ruartei Space with their superior military force, clearly intent on conquering all of Ruartei. They rapidly recognized their most dangerous opponent and swiftly moved to eliminate Nay’air before resuming their carefully plotted conquest.

Artala joined the war early, but only scouted and monitored the Surnay’s location and actions. After Nay’air was destroyed, the Artalans joined the war fully and deployed their surprisingly large fleet of warships to defend Ruartei. It was Artala who discovered and exploited the vulnerability in the Surnay fleet, ending the war with its destruction.

Nay’air, with their arrogant belief in their own superiority, quickly became the main defender of Ruratei. They thought they would simply vanquish the invader and that would place them firmly in prime position to take over the political leadership of Ruartei Space. By the time Nay’air realized its mistake, it was too late. But even after their home world’s destruction, the scattered remnants of Nay’air’eth warships continued to harrass and vex the Surnay fleet.

The Imperium, its fleets overextended and its court indecisive, responded slowly, but established better defensive positions. The court was loath to expend resources and ships and feared Nay’air’s technological advancement. They decided to let Nay’air take the brunt of the war with the hope that the Surnay would weaken their political rival.

I strongly suggest, Your Imperial Majesty, this would be a good time for your navy to switch from defense to offense.

—from the private correspondence of the First Counsel of Sancus to the Grand Monarch of the Imperium, as recorded in the historical retrospective,
“Events Leading to the Demise of the Imperium.”

After Nay’air was destroyed with little apparent impact on the Surnay, the Imperium scrambled to redeploy their own forces offensively instead of defensively. But the Imperium had waited too long. They watched in alarm as their fleets attempted and failed to stave off the Surnay from the major worlds and critical resources. They were relieved, although shocked, when Artala fielded a large warfleet to assist them.

Battlefield

The battles ranged over much of Ruartei Space, but never quite reached the central worlds. The Surnay started in the fringes, moved to the outer minor worlds, then jumped to Nay’air and any star systems defended by Nay’air’eth starships. After destroying Nay’air, the Surnay switched back to the outer minor worlds and advanced to the inner minor worlds, severing communication lines and blocking trade routes to the major worlds. Before they reached more than a few of the major worlds or any of the central worlds, the last surviving Nay’air’eth squadrons baited and lured the Surnay to the remote Nergal star system and into the trap prepared by Artala.

The Engagement

The Surnay started their war at the very edge of Ruartei Space. Communities in the Fringe had no evident alliances and little interstellar trade with the worlds within the Ruartei border. This allowed the Surnay to keep their initial attacks secret. After that, they begin attacking unaffiliated minor worlds where they, by accident, crossed paths with Artala.

Surnay Fighter Ship in Attack Mode by Tulonsae using MidjourneyAI

One of the patrolling Artalan warships had responded to a distress call from a settlement they often visited. The warship confronted a single Surnay fighter and, expecting to capture the unknown intruder, were stymied when the short battle ended in a draw. The Surnay fighter retreated, demonstrating a startling warp drive capability — much too fast for the warship to overtake.

The Artalan warship inspected the nearby star systems, gathered evidence of a fleet of such vessels, and raced home to report their findings. The Martel of Artala grasped the potential threat, ignored Artala’s traditional secrecy policy, and alerted the Imperium, the Elder Worlds, and Nay’air about the intruder and its superior technology and probable military capabilities.

The Imperium ignored Artala’s warning although they did comply with requests from the Elder Worlds to provide extra protection. Nay’air, always suspicious of Artala’s intentions, deployed several squadrons to investigate but ordered them to examine Artala’s military operations first. Meanwhile, Artala monitored the Surnay movements and operations, kept the Ruartei leaders informed, and whenever possible, evacuated settlements in the Surnay’s path.

The Surnay countered the Artalan evacuations and the approaching Nay’air’eth squadrons by spreading their attacks across a sizeable arc of the outer ring of Ruartei Space — making it difficult to predict where they would strike next.

The Nay’air’eth, in their arrogance, did not believe Artala’s assertions that the Surnay’s military technology exceeded the best that Nay’air could produce. With information about the Surnay positions from both Nay’air’eth and Artalan war scouts, Nay’air plotted the Surnay’s probable next targets. They divided their forces into smaller flotillas, intending to eliminate the Surnay with a well-coordinated set of attacks.

But the Surnay changed tactics and outmaneuvered the Nar’air’eth. Using their faster warp drives and enhanced sensors, their attack fighters raided star systems with Nay’air’eth outposts and destroyed the communication relays before the Nay’air’eth could launch their coordinated attacks. Surnay flotillas hunted and systemically eliminated the scattered Nay’air’eth squadrons and warships as the Surnay main fleet advanced directly toward Nay'air itself.

We were lucky.

We were the last transport to exit our star system when the Surnay fleet arrived. We watched their fighter ships charge the star forts, demolishing them as easily as a stone tiger mangles its prey.

Their battleships effortlessly smashed our planetary defense network. Billions died in the toxic bombardment that left our home world sterile. But at least they were spared the horror of the feasts.

We were lucky. But we didn’t stay lucky...

—anonymous Nay'air'eth survivor

Once the Surnay main fleet reached the Nay'air star system, they destroyed the in-system forts, disabled the bases supplying resources and infrastructure, and bombarded the planet with toxic contaminants which rendered the planet a dead world and sterilized those few inhabitants that survived. When they finished, they left behind a broken civilization no longer able to defend itself or others.

When the Surnay decided to focus on Nay’air, they shifted their offensive so suddenly that they failed to leave behind sufficient occupying forces on the more recently ravaged planets. Some survivors were able to escape to the closest major worlds, bringing news and wild tales of heinous actions.

We thought we had escaped. Then the alarms sounded and we found ourselves drawn inside one of their large warships. We would have fought to the death if we had known. Instead, we surrendered.

Their captain apologized to us. ‘They sincerely regretted having to destroy our world, depriving themselves the pleasure of experiencing such a superb group of humans.’ A short while later, we learned what he meant.

—anonymous Nay'air'eth survivor

When the first of these reports reached the central worlds, they disregarded them as exaggerations. First, no fleet could possibly be that big. Second, an alien race of carnivores that preferred humans as food was simply absurd.

Someone in the media somehow acquired the last news reports from Nay’air itself and graphic visuals of the planet’s destruction. Their “Truth Revealed” news report was broadcast nearly simultaneously on all the central worlds and some of the major worlds. Most of the populous, along with over half the civilian leadership, panicked.

Leader of the Surnay Invasion by Tulonsae using MidjourneyAI

Soon after, video clips of survivors’ stories from Surnay-occupied worlds flooded the media network of the major worlds. Followed by the first images of the Surnay themselves. The major worlds struggled to contain the resulting hysteria. The Imperium authorities managed to lock down all media and broadcasts before visual evidence reached the central worlds. But they knew it would only delay the inevitable turmoil. Later, they realized that these events were orchestrated by the Surnay to intimidate the people and make long-term subjugation much easier.

After eliminating the Nay’air’eth threat, the Surnay switched their attacks back to the minor worlds, especially any that provided strategic resources or important commodities to the major worlds. They began attacking the outermost major worlds, openly taunting the humans with their successes, and allowing some humans to escape the feasts to spread terror and despair.

Communication lines were severed. Trade routes became too dangerous for most commerce. The major worlds experienced increasing levels of chaos. Faced with these new circumstances (and with substantial pressure from the Elder Worlds), the Imperium finally committed fully to an offensive war effort rather than the defensive one they had maintained.

I will never forget.

The taunts. The cruel waiting games. Who would be chosen as the next meat? How long could the carvers keep the meat alive? The rumbling guttural sound they emitted, growing louder and higher pitched with anticipation.

It was almost as if they feasted on our fear and horror as much as our meat.

Shari was next. I wanted to cry for her, but I had no tears left — only burning hatred, as hot as the sands of Na’kee. Then the alarms sounded, and the feast ended before the carver could start.

A new group of humans captured — not Nay’air’eth. Artalan.

—anonymous Nay'air'eth survivor

The Imperium deployed their main forces to the perimeter of the Surnay incursion. Once there, they encountered the startling large fleet of Artalan warships, already engaged and defending Ruartei Space. Communication between the Artalan and Imperium commanders was difficult, but the crisis forced the Imperium coalition into an unavoidable military alliance with the contemptible Artalans.

It was not enough. The Surnay ships were too fast, too maneuverable. Their weapons too powerful. The only thing slowing the Surnay advance was their craving to capture rather than destroy the coalition starships. The coalition forces lost battle after battle — forced to abandon the lesser worlds or lose entire flotillas of warships.

Meanwhile, unknown to the Surnay or the rest of the coalition, the Artalan gathered data.

I could not believe it. What kind of people were these Artalan?

They watched stoically as their companions were butchered. A few even bantered back and forth with our captors, somehow gaining their trust.

The Surnay officers found this delightful. A group of humans that would serve them, act as pets, and willingly submit to the carvers. Amused by their subservient behavior, the Surnay allowed them to freely roam the warship.

Then, the highest surviving Artalan officer came to us. ‘We have learned enough. We are leaving now. Are you coming?’

The view from the lifeboat was magnificent. My heart sang as I watched their warship explode.

—anonymous Nay'air'eth survivor

The cumbersome Imperium fleets barely managed to limit the hit-and-run tactics of the Surnay fighters on the inner major worlds. The Artalan flotillas switched to skirmishing tactics, often collaborating with the remaining Nay’air’eth squadrons. Their warships hunted stray Surnay fighters, ambushed Surnay supply ships, and exterminated random Surnay occupying forces.

In response, the Surnay employed psychological warfare. Using the Imperium’s own communication network, they openly boasted about their military superiority, their successful battles, the worlds conquered, and — their feasts.

The Nay’air’eth retaliated with their own broadcasts. They mocked the Surnay with videos of grisly executions of captured Surnay. They ridiculed the Surnay fleet’s inability to protect their own supply lines. They taunted the Surnay to come find them, if they dared.

Enraged, the Surnay focused their attention on hunting the Nay’air’eth, abandoning their carefully prepared invasion plans.

Finally, the alert we'd waited for. The Surnay were on their way.

We were ready. Our own lives were a small price to pay.

Soon, we would have our vengeance — we would destroy them all.

—anonymous Nay'air'eth survivor

The best Artalan scientists and engineers studied the Surnay technology. Once they determined the basic warp drive mechanism, they needed confirmation and detailed engineering information. After several failed clandestine operations, the next few yielded the needed data. The final group tasked to infiltrate the Surnay fleet brought back not only complete schematics and operational instructions, but a couple of key Nay’air’eth individuals.

Despite the cost in lives, Artala’s intelligence operations were hugely successful. The Artalan military and the rescued Nay’air’eth put aside their mutual distrust and shared the information with the remaining Nay’air’eth military leaders. Together, the two military groups plotted to eliminate the Surnay. The Nay’air’eth squadrons became the bait while Artala prepared the trap.

The Surnay warp drive had a significant design flaw. The gravitational dynamics of certain types of star systems produced a fatal instability in the their warp drive engines. To mitigate this issue, the Surnay developed a sensory system that identified the danger — and they simply avoided those star systems.

Artala and the Nay’air’eth chose Nergal for their trap. Both its location and gravitation system made it ideal. While the Nay’air’eth deployed enough of their remaining military support so Nergal appeared to be their base of operations, Artala built an entire sensor interference network that would fool even the Surnay sensors. The trap was set.

Surnay intelligence ‘discovered’ not only the location of the Nay’air’eth base, but the ‘fact’ that both the Artalan fleet and most of the Imperial fleets were rendezvousing with the Nay’air’eth in preparation for a massive offensive. The Surnay, as expected, decided to crush the Ruartei forces in one final battle and brought their entire armada.

Once the Surnay armada entered the star system, their warp drives became unstable, setting off a chain reaction that destroyed all the vessels. Some of the Artalan ships were caught in the resulting planetary explosions along with most of the Nay’air’eth.

Afterwards, the Imperium fleets systematically tracked and destroyed the rest of the surviving Surnay warships.

Outcome

The Surnay fleet was annihilated and, with the exception of some Surnay pet animals given to the Grand Monarch, everything they brought with them was razed.

Nay’air was destroyed, its technology lost. Relatively few of the Nay’air’eth survived and most of the survivors — the lucky ones — were treated as refugees by the other worlds.

Now knowing that Artala had more naval capacity and advanced technology than they had realized, the other worlds became even more wary and distrustful. No one knew whether Artala was diminished in any way by the war, and it once again retreated into its secrecy.

The Elder Worlds decided they needed more control over their own protection and hired away some of the Imperium’s best military units, leaving the Imperium with a rather ineffective navy.

The Imperium lost over half it naval forces. Its subjugated worlds revolted, proclaiming that the Imperium had not protected them. Other worlds complained about the lack of Imperial support and reduced their tributes and contributions to the Imperial administration.

Aftermath

Nay’air became a dead world. The Nay’air’eth civilization died. Some of the refugees who escaped established the Nay'air'eth Remnants Institute in an effort to save what little they had left. Many of the Nay’air’eth became wanderers, never settling anywhere for long.

Most of the central and major worlds were exhausted and overextended from the war effort. They started withdrawing back to their main star systems, withdrawing support and protection from their numerous colonies, settlements, special population centers, and shipping routes. This resulted in the collapse of interstellar commerce and curtailed their expansion in Ruartei space — marking the End of the Imperalistic Age and the beginning of The Rebuilding.

Historical Significance

Legacy

TBD

Key Facts

Conflict Type: War

Battlefield Type: Space
Location: Ruartei Space

Starting Date: 4467.5.15 JS / 1547.10.14 IA
Ending Date: 4468.17.25 JS / 1550.5.24 IA

Conflict Result

Although the Surnay's fleet is annihilated, Nay'air is destroyed and its technology lost. Minor worlds are ravaged, the Elder Worlds are damaged, and the Imperium is shattered.

Included Conflicts

• The Nergal Trap

Belligerents

Aggressor: the Surnay
Defenders:

• Nay'air
• Artala
• the Imperium Coalition