The Sentinel Rebellion

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The Sentinel Rebellion was a four-year insurgency waged against the government of the Federated Consortium of Changeling Nations by the self-styled Sentinels faction, whose stated goal was to implement a regime change for the greater good of changeling society.

## Origin

The roots of the conflict between the changeling government and the secessionist faction have never been completely understood. The perceived loss of sovereignty and rights associated with joining the Assembly was one factor, and certainly the bulk of the Sentinel forces were drawn from less-affluent colony systems in changeling space, however a fully elucidated reason for the uprising was never established.

Nonetheless, most historians agree the starting point of the conflict was the overthrow of the Consortium-appointed government in Lazarus Depth. Emboldened by the relatively swift defeat of the frontier system's authorities, the rebels advanced quickly, adopting an unusually direct confrontational strategy, supported by the substantial stockpiles of military hardware they had quietly accumulated on the black market.

## Key event(s)

* **The taking of Lazarus Depth**: Sentinel forces overthrew the local government representatives in Lazarus Depth, the newest of the changelings' colonies, by way of announcing their uprising. The system quickly became a rallying point and a stronghold for the rebellion, and Consortium forces were beaten back several times in their attempts to retake it.
* **The granting of Ice Serpent:** The Consortium's military at the time of the uprising was weak and ill-equipped, mostly geared toward exploration rather than conflict. Economically, the government did not have the resources to address that lack, so the Assembly granted possession of the galactic markets in Ice Serpent to changeling control. The economic shot in the arm and access to system's plentiful material resources allowed the Consortium to rapidly refit and rearm its exploratory fleet for more martial applications, tipping the balance of power back in their favour against the rebels.
* **The storming of Eva Amarian:** As the Consortium's ability to counter assaults and interdict them improved over time, the Sentinels grew more desperate. Realizing that they were now outmanned and outgunned, with diminishing hope of prevailing in a conventional territorial war, they consolidated their forces into one large armada with the intent of taking Eva Amarian, the capital planet of Eva Arielle, and deposing the government directly. The Consortium government, alerted to the plan by agents in the Sentinel ranks, viewed the assault as an opportunity to rid themselves of the Sentinel leadership at a stroke. The raid proved disastrous for the Sentinels. The Consortium publicly dispatched the bulk of its forces in the direction of Lazarus Depth to encourage the assault, but had organized support from a mixed Assembly force, using Leviathan vessels, who took up positions off the coast of the capital city, Amaris. Submerged in the water, the Assembly ships were undetectable. When the Sentinel force landed, Consortium commandos embedded in their ranks assassinated the Sentinels' senior leadership in a coordinated attack. Leaderless and demoralized, when the Assembly ships rose from the ocean to take up attack positions, supported by the Changeling fleet, which had reversed course behind the enemy, the Sentinels surrendered.

## Aftermath

The additional resources and tactical input provided by the Assembly enabled the Consortium's government to re-establish military control over all its territories with the exception of Lazarus Depth, which they formally exiled, withdrawing all financial and logistical support. Many of its citizens returned to changeling space and resettled, leaving the system ripe for colonization by criminals. Lazarus Depth is now one of the main criminal hubs in neutral space.

The Sentinel movement was outlawed and driven underground, though it persists as a significant threat to the Consortium to this day. Many members of the organization were tried and found guilty of treason, and imprisoned in Lord's Assembly for terms ranging from five to ten centuries.