The Secession War

Combatants| * Planetary Union
	+ Andromeda Republic of Socialist Planets, joins 461 ACE
	+ Circittan World Coalition, joins 463 ACE

Commanders| * Prime Minister Gineous Cambel
* Supreme Commander Seneca Eckhart
	+ Admiral of the 1st Fleet Vessa Clonmel
	+ Admiral of the 2nd Fleet Walston Larence
	+ Admiral of the 3rd Fleet Oriel Dolgoe
	+ Admiral Alulisaat Kaliowae
	+ Minister Adalhied Hunxe
* Grand General Montonero Trusk
	+ Vice Commander Ator Fleck de Mercaes Praidine
	+ Vice Commander Mannis Ried Diemes
	+ Defensive General Prevov Olomoc
	+ Vice Defensive General Popantega Reinmarc
	+ Chief Officer Ebermont Vogels

The Secession War (456 ACE - 464 ACE) was a galaxy-wide conflict between the Planetary Union and the System of Independent Alien Planets. Also referred to as the War of Independence or the Secession Crisis, the conflict gained its name from the main dividing issue. Initially, the SIAP seceded peacefully from the Union, over the issues of Human acceptance and the independent powers of individual planets. Tensions were strained by protests on Exumasphere and led to the use of force by the Union to reintegrate the rebelling worlds. This instigated eight years of conflict between the governments, each fielding millions from the Sector Ranger Corps, the Allied Systems Defense Force, and other allied groups.

The crux of the conflict pitted the main fleets of each government, led by Seneca Eckhart and Montonero Trusk respectively, against each other in large scale offensives, with notable battles occurring at Pipework, Cessia Station, and Neinbien. Smaller fleets engaged across Andromeda in different fronts, such as at Jurmount and Negordy. The SIAP resorted heavily to guerilla warfare, raids, and small skirmishes. The homefront was divided among ideological lines; planets not openly involved in the conflict were subject to smaller internal conflicts. Outside groups found it increasingly difficult to retain neutrality as the war progressed, with both the Circittan World Coalition and the Andromeda Republic of Socialist Planets aligning themselves with the Planetary Union as the war turned in their favor.

Eventually, the SIAP was unable to contend with the greater resources of the Union and shortages and internal rebellions, was forced to a defensive front. A final offensive broke the SIAP line, leading to an unconditional surrender. Sympathy within the Union and wartime damage led to the drafting of the Treaty of Cepec, which allowed the System of Independent Alien Planets to retain independence in return for several conditions.

## Prelude

#### Secession Crisis

Following the end of the Race War, discontent was high among the Outer Sector and other alien planets, who believed that their needs had been ignored in wake of Human acceptance movements, to the point where secession from the Planetary Union was an oft considered option.

Politicians within the Planetary Union divided into factions over the issue of secession. The two main factions, the Unionists and the Concentrats, were initially formed in reaction to the Zcile Purchase in 397 ACE, divided according to the powers granted to independent planets. Whether member planets had the ability to formally secede invoked the reformation of the factions in 432 ACE, with the Unionists opposing secession and the Concentrats supporting it.

The Unionists believed that a member planet, in accepting membership and participating in the Planetary Parliament, limited their ability to openly secede. The Concentrats, made up mostly of Outer Sector planets and species, believed that even as a member, a planet still retains their autonomy and have the ability to secede. These two factions reflected the ideological lines drawn among civilian populations.

#### Human Acceptance

Another issue affecting cohesion within the Planetary Union was Human acceptance. The Union and the younger Andromeda Republic of Socialist Planets was met with the issue of a refugee crisis following the Race War. Among these refugees included many Humans, abandoned in the military retreat across Andromeda. Due to both xenophobic beliefs from the war, active Human military resistances, and damage from the conflict, alien populations were divided over the issue of accepting Humans.

Following the Battle of the Black Hole Fleet, the Human leadership openly broadcast their intention to assimilate into Andromedan cultures. This endeavor was largely accepted by the Planetary Union and the Unionists faction. With Humans proving themselves both adaptable and eager to reintegrate in spite of wartime damage, acceptance of Humans on Core Sector worlds and other Unionist planets rose. However, Humans remained unpopular among other planets and groups, due in part to continued violence from Human remnant groups, like the reformed Human paramilitary group, the Order of Altruists.

The climax of violence in the Outer Sector was the Andor Massacre in 449 ACE. A small settlement of Humans was formed on the planet of Andor and became the victim of antagonism from other species on the planet. The death of a Paralyl agitator led to retaliation by militias. In the ensuing battle, the settlement was completely destroyed, with all inhabitants being killed. Media attention led to outcry within the Planetary Union and increased support of Human acceptance initiatives.

With heavy political capital from the Andorran council member, the Planetary Union formally recognized Humans as an Andromeda species in 450 ACE, granting them a seat on the Council of Species. The first official Human politician within the Planetary Union was inducted in 451 ACE, Arlan Evans as chosen by general Human leaders across Exumasphere. This was met with protests on Exumasphere and other Core Sector planets, and open opposition by Concentrat members in parliament. The reaction was eventually quelled by limiting Evans voting power for a period of 20 years, but not before the Tridorian council member and Tridoria parliament members left their positions, leaving them empty.

#### Formation of the System of Independent Alien Planets

Discontent was high within the isolated Asteroid Sector. Species within, the Tridorians and Terxronians, were highly conservative and heavily opposed the acceptance of the Human species. With the induction of the Human council member and continued belief of the Planetary Union ignoring their needs, planets within the Asteroid Sector announced their intention to secede from the Planetary Union in 454 ACE. This effort was led by Trenton Basile, the former Tridorian council member from the Council of Species. However, in vacating his position in reaction to the Human politician, the parliament decided Tridoria lost the ability to formally secede, in a close vote controlled by the Unionist faction.

Initially, this secessionist movement, dubbed the System of Independent Alien Planets, was only composed of Tridoria, Terxronia, and Strydoria, but quickly gained prominence across Andromeda, in large part due to the widely broadcasted words of Trenton Basile and other SIAP speakers. The Planetary Union finally gave notice to this notice as more Outer Sector worlds declared intentions to secede, and other representatives left their positions.

#### Month of Blood

The secession movement was eventually declared illegal by the joint offices of the Minister of Military and the Minister of Expansion. Many solutions were proposed, but to avoid violence, the Prime Minister enacted an economic blockade of the Asteroid Sector, supported by the Unionist faction. The blocking of the primary Rainbow Route blocked vital supplies to planets within the Asteroid Sector, drawing ire from alien populists and Concentrats.

These words proved in vain as a conjunctional series of terrorist attacks and protests rocked Exumasphere in 455 ACE, during a period eventually dubbed the Month of Blood by SIAP sympathizers. Most of the violence was concentrated within the Government District, through bombings and riots. Most violence was small but mostly concreted into property damage and was accompanied by large scale protests attended by millions planet-wide.

The Parliament Tower bombing was a series of two bombings targeting the judicial towers of the Planetary Parliament and the Council of Species. Conducted by a SIAP sympathetic Masmanin laborer, two bombs were set off in a span of twenty minutes, the first targeting the Council of Species; the Parliament was evacuated before the second bomb ignited. The bombs failed to destroy the towers but resulted in 14 casualties; 9 council members and 3 staff members were injured, and 2 council members, the Fishloin and Zernin representatives, were killed in the bombing.

The Adricore Square Massacre was a mass casualty event that marked the separation in ideals between Planetary Union worlds. Adricore Square was subject to near constant protests, most aimed at the governmental facilities based near the square. A crowd formed in the square in response to the violent security response to SIAP aligned petitioners entering the offices of the Minister of Expansion. Overtime, this crowd swelled to nearly one hundred thousand in size, most in general support for SIAP ideals. After two straight days of protesting, the plaza minister mobilized security forces to remove the protesters. Initial attempts were repelled by the crowd, until an officer authorized use of lethal force in retaliation. The ensuing violence led to mass casualties and a spreading of violence across the Government District, which was only subdued by the mobilization of the SRC home guard. In total, the massacre resulted in over twelve thousand injuries and the deaths of 47 security forces and nearly one thousand protesters.

The response to the Adricore Square Massacre was overwhelming, leading to an outcry of support for the secessionist movement across Andromeda. Many viewed the massacre and other violence on Exumasphere as a sign that the secession crisis would not pass peacefully. With the increased support, the System of Independent Alien Planets legitimized their claims and formally seceded in 456 ACE, completely cutting off all member worlds and drafting their own constitution. In open defiance of Planetary Union rule, the SIAP began a mass militarization effort and worked with smugglers to open trade routes around the blockade. The economic blockade transitioned to a military blockade, with Union ships arresting or scuttling SIAP aligned ships.

## The War

### Opening Years (456 ACE - 460 ACE)

The opening year of the war was defined by an overall lack of open warfare. Initially, both sides waged a defensive war, until the breaking of the blockade forced open warfare. The Planetary Union utilized the forces of the Sector Ranger Corps, under the leadership of Supreme Commander Seneca Eckhart. The System of Independent Alien Planets, lacking the sheer numbers of the Union, created the Allied Systems Defense Force, a collection of independently operating planetary armies and mass regiments of war bot models.

#### The Phony War

Initially, the Planetary Union did not recognize the conflict as a war, instead opting for methods to forcibly reintegrate the seceded planets back into the Union, a military blockade of the Asteroid Sector. This led to the beginning eight months of the conflict lacking any direct conflict. Each side used this time to cement their positions, with the Union activating all three sector fleets and the SIAP activating nearly a hundred bot factories across Andromeda to reinforce their army.

The SIAP leadership used this lack period to draft a constitution, induct new members across Andromeda, and elect Trenton Basile in the SIAP's speaker leadership position. Basile, though adamant on the idea of secession, used the break in conflict to attempt to reconcile peace with the Union. These efforts quickly failed due to a bombing during the first talk on Exumasphere leaving Basile and other SIAP leadership injured. Any ideas of peace disappeared in the mobilized troops as 457 ACE approached. Even with the activation of espionage agencies on both sides, conflict between the two sides seemed unlikely, leading disgruntled fresh troops to call this period 'The Phony War'.

#### First Battle of Tridoria

As the 2nd Fleet joined the blockade of the Asteroid Sector, the SIAP pursued means of trade while avoiding confrontation, opting to use smugglers to bypass the blockade and retain open trade with the Andromeda Republic of Socialist Planets and the Circittan World Coalition, both of whom maintained neutrality in the conflict. Near the end of 456 ACE, the smuggling ship C.S. Tonken was stopped by a cruiser of the 2nd Fleet. Upon the discovery of deactivated war bots and the military capabilities of the SIAP, the cruiser broke rank with the blockade and led a small contingent of troops to control jump gates deeper within the Asteroid Sector. On advancing too far within SIAP territory, the small breakoff fleet was met by the planetary defenses of Tridoria. The SRC forces took the defenses as an active offensive and retaliated with supreme force. The militia defenders were wiped out and the city of Acheron was shelled before SRC forces landed on planet and engaged ground forces.

The System of Independent Alien Planets took this as a declaration of war and retaliated by declaring a formal war against the Planetary Union. Union attempts to withdraw their rogue forces from Tridoria failed and the SIAP countered with the Ambition Fleet, the SIAP's primary fleet, led by Grand General Montonero Trusk. This fleet, a collection of flagships donated by sympathetic groups, retook Tridoria and spearheaded against the blockading 2nd Fleet. The 2nd Fleet was broken in two by the flash offensive and retreated to avoid further losses. The Ambition Fleet went on the offensive against the Planetary Union, while smaller forces reinforced the Asteroid Sector.

#### The Pipework Pincer

With the 2nd Fleet effectively scattered, Trusk led his fleet south, going around the 1st Fleet stationed to defend the expected path through the northern reaches of the Colony Sector. Trusk aimed to control Pipework, a vital trade world with jump route connections across Andromeda. With both the element of surprise and a population expected to be sympathetic to the SIAP cause, the Ambition Fleet docked around Pipework. The fleet stationed defensively around the planet but was exposed due to refueling and restocking efforts. This was met by the 3rd Fleet, under the control of Seneca Eckhart.

With forces committed planetside by the SIAP, the SRC forces attempted to overwhelm Trusk's fleet with naval superiority. Simultaneously, a segment of the fleet, under the command of Corporal Dolgoe, a native of the planet, covertly landed on the opposite side of the planet. There, in assistance to a movement of local resistance, SRC forces supplied manpower and resources to the local population, who capitalized on it, striking against the docked SIAP ships. The remainder of the 3rd Fleet bombarded the planet.

With the beginning of full-scale conflict between each faction, other fleets and militaries began mobilizing across the galaxy, notably the Garden Fleet, a series of capital ships produced by the Andromeda Republic of Socialist Planets, and the Core Sector's personal defensive fleet, nicknamed Blizzard by soldiers. At the time of the Battle of Pipework, many of these smaller fleets rallied near the battle; notably, the defensive fleets of Rewson, Vhose, and Zcile joined the 3rd Fleet, despite having leanings towards the SIAP cause. The Ambition Fleet, whose initial gamble had turned into a costly battle, decided to pull out and retreat back to SIAP controlled territory, where the smaller fleets had been gathering.

The retreat itself was catastrophic and costly, with nearly a sixth of the remaining fleet being picked off by Eckhart's stationed battleships. Another battle shortly followed at the Pipework jump gate web, where Zcile's fleet had advanced prematurely to prevent the escape, fighting off the SIAP ships stationed nearby. The superior firepower of Trusk's flagship was able to regain control of the web.

#### Galactic Retreat

To supplement losses at Pipework, Trusk took a portion of his Ambition Fleet to Ginmalf enroute back to the Asteroid Sector. Ambushing the defensive fleet of the planet, Trusk outmaneuvered the planet's defenses and subsequent reinforcements from stragglers from the 1st Fleet. The Ambition Fleet landed forces at the Isle of Tsgot-Ovoo, attacking the Union facilities and looting them for weapons and other resources.

Simultaneously, a large SIAP volunteer force made up of forces from Dansia and the Dann System gathered at Dansia. Eckhart, in pursuing retreating ships from Pipework, lacked both permission and strength to pursue Trusk's flotilla. Instead, he took the 3rd Fleet north, intending to meet the forces at Dansia. The move paid off, with Trusk's Vice Commander Diemes having brought a portion of the Ambition Fleet to meet the volunteers. The 3rd Fleet directly disrupted the gathering, then participating in a lengthy ground battle against SIAP sympathetic oases. At Aydana Oasis, SRC forces effectively flanked and destroyed the Dansian SIAP forces. The loss convinced Diemes to abandon the effort.

#### System Sieges

Eckhart, having proved himself at the Battle of Pipework and later battles at Dansia and the Firon Nebula, was promoted by the Minister of Military to the position of Supreme Commander and was granted complete control over the Planetary Union's war efforts for the duration of the war. Eckhart decided to wage a protracted war. The decided strategy was coined sector sieging or system skipping, in which a greater force of the SRC would target a stronghold, aiming at cutting it off its connections to the rest of the SIAP, before eventually capturing or destroying it. Therefore, smaller SIAP groups would be cut off from the flow of supplies and would be easier to subdue by smaller SRC forces.

Eckhart divided the three main Union fleets to this task: the 1st Fleet, under Admiral Clonmel, would constantly pressure the Asteroid Sector, the reorganized 2nd Fleet, under the veteran Admiral Larence, would attempt control over the trade routes supplying SIAP forces, and the 3rd Fleet, under the promoted Admiral Dolgoe, would target the remote SIAP strongholds.

Trusk's Ambition Fleet, essentially trapped by the 1st Fleet and obligations to defend the SIAP seat of power, was relegated to a defensive role. The Union went on the offensive, with the 3rd Fleet breaking apart to target individual planets and systems allied with the SIAP and the remainder of the SRC and Sector Infiltration Corps enacting loyalty programs and purges to root out dissent on Union worlds.

#### Opening of the Eastern Front

The System of Independent Alien Planets, losing morale and supply centers, attempted to open a new front. The infant Donor's Fleet, nicknamed Fleck's Fleet by the SRC, emerged outside of the Industrial Sector. Led by the charismatic Vice Commander Praidine, the fleet initiated a hit-and-run campaign against Union territories bordering the Industrial Sector, with the guilty ships retreating into the neutral territory of the sector as a defensive measure when countered. Praidine focused his attacks against population centers, attempting to draw forces away from the western front by threatening civilian populations.

This strategy worked, with the 3rd Fleet eventually routed away from their own strategy to meet the Donor Fleet at Jurmount. There, SIAP forces, outnumbered by the SRC forces, scattered across the eastern sectors, hiding away in advantageous terrains and SIAP-sympathetic populations. The main bulk of the SIAP forces under Praidine was met by the overwhelming forces of the 3rd Fleet at Jurmount; the SIAP forces hid in the mountains and in population centers, forcing ground engagements with SRC troops. Admiral Dolgoe, in order to avoid excessive casualties, used nearby supply lines from Montane to outlast the entrenched SIAP forces, effectively sieging the entire planet.

The Donor Fleet, on the run from persistent pressure, scattered into multiple larger groups. The majority of troops and supplies trapped on Jurmount with Praidine, the smaller convoys resorted to pillaging and guerilla warfare. Initially disregarded as mere pirates, the severity of the sabotage efforts and terror attack escalated until forces of the 2nd Fleet were reassigned to deal with the rogue SIAP forces. Admiral Larence's personal goals were to protect the trade routes across the eastern sectors and retain strong relations with the ARSP and Circittan World Coalition governments. The bolstering of protective forces at jump gates and governmental centers led to the focusing of sabotage efforts at smaller population centers, including the intentional targeting of civilian populations.

#### Trusk's Offensive

With the opening of the eastern front, Trusk decided to reattempt a move towards the Core Sector, hoping the threat of invasion would force a quick cease fire. The Ambition Fleet left covertly to the northern reaches, leaving the Asteroid Sector in small convoys. Simultaneously, volunteer forces assaulted the 1st Fleet, to avoid detection of the primary fleet. The Ambition Fleet and remnants of other SIAP fleets gathered at Danuhba. The fleet quickly initiated an offensive across the northern systems, with groups capturing Akoopa and Palus and forging economic connections in the Criminal Sector. These claims would remain until the SIAP's surrender at the end of the war. The forces then converged towards Ienia, intercepting jump gates along the way.

Ienia was defended solely the Cessia Station platform in the same system, led by the Captain Singkep, which supplied defensive shields to the planet. The station attempted to hold out against the attackers, until the backup forces led by Eckhart reached the planet. Faced with an ultimatum of destruction or boarding, Singkep routed the remainder of the station's power to the shields of Ienia and used the physical hull of the station against the attackers. The reinforcements of the reserves of the three main Union fleets arrived to the attacking SIAP forces in disarray and the Ienia shield fully powered.

The three reserve groups converged on the center mass of the SIAP fleet, aiming to takeout Trusk's flagship. The three pushes further separated the SIAP into smaller groups. After brief fighting and failure to regain composure, Trusk ordered a tactical retreat, in order to regather their forces who still outnumbered the Union defenses. However, a failure of communication led to the interpretation of the order as a general retreat and the SIAP forces fell into chaos, with ships haphazardly fleeing across the system, some even deeper into the Core Sector. With the failure to regather, the main bulk of the Ambition Fleet retreated to the Asteroid Sector, pressured the entire way by more SRC forces. The Battle of Cessia Station was considered the climax of the war and the farthest and largest offensive by the System of Independent Alien Planets against the Planetary Union.

### End of the War (460 ACE - 464 ACE)

#### Assault on Neinbien

Following the Battle of Cessia Station, the war reverted to a primarily defensive conflict, with Eckhart reengaging the system skipping strategy to target SIAP bot production factories. With the remainder of the Ambition Fleet guarding Strydoria, Admiral Clonmel decided to push the 1st Fleet deeper into SIAP territory targeting Winsby and Neinbien, two primary resource worlds. Winsby's weaker defenses were defeated with a strong forward offensive and with continued disruption of SIAP trade routes by the 2nd Fleet, Neinbien remained as the sole source of war bots still in full control by the SIAP. Neinbien had much stronger defenses, led by the capable General Olomoc. Due to the defensive shields maintained around each bot factory, SRC ground forces were landed planetside to break through the shields and destroy the bot facilities. However, the ability to continuously supply war bots made the attack arduous, with initial assaults repelled through heavy fire and usage of trench defenses.

The initial offensive halted, SRC forces opted to use similar trenches as defensive positions, creating a stalemate in the plains of Neinbien. Attacks in the forest regions were more successful, as deployment of bot forces was hampered by the terrain. Yet, the main production facilities laid in the contested regions. Further complicating the battle, the battle unearthed hives of the native Antzac population, who became a third party in the conflict.

Eventually, Union forces gained the advantage, with control of the space around the planet preventing resources needed to produce bots from reaching the factories. Eventually, the destruction of the primary production factory by a commando group and the resulting death of Olomoc led to the collapse of SIAP lines. Facing defeat by the attacking Union ground forces, the remainder of the factory crews surrendered, ending the SIAP's last source of war bots.

#### The Negordy Campaign

The majority of western forces trapped in the Asteroid Sector and the main fleet of the eastern front scuttled at Jurmount, the roaming pillage parties of the Donor Fleet grew more desperate in their attacks. After several years of constant sieges, the SIAP forces under Commander Praidine finally surrendered in masse after the 3rd Fleet was bolstered by volunteer forces from Montane. Seeing that the SIAP desperately needed fuel supplies, Officer Vogels, leading his own band of Terxronian saboteurs, issued a call to gather, intending to gather the remainder of the SIAP in the eastern sectors for a grab at resources. The target was Negordy, a neutral world, member of the Andromeda Republic of Socialist Planets and a rich fuel source. Knowing that an attack on Negordy would lead to ARSP officially joining the war against the SIAP, Vogels attempted to incite an SIAP sympathetic rebellion in several Negordan cities, inserting SIAP forces inter-midst the rebels to claim fuel supplies.

The first attempts nearly succeeded, with Vogels contacting preexistent SIAP sympathetic groups in multiple mining cities. On the promise of official SIAP support, the sympathizers agreed to revolt and claim the city as independent. However, communication between the two groups was intercepted by SIC agents and the ARSP government was informed. With authorities aware of the impending revolt, the plan was enacted early, with SIAP and sympathizer forces claiming public buildings and hiding amongst civilian populations. ARSP forces initially refused to engage, opening a window for SIAP forces to claim Negordan gas and transport it offworld. However, the SIAP forces, starved and unruly, were unable to coordinate the transport of fuel, and instead led to looting and street violence. The majority of SIAP forces were unresponsive to Vogels' attempts to regain authority, so sympathizers and ARSP forces intervened, leading to three-way fighting in the streets. The official SIAP force under Vogels left the planet with minimal fuel supplies, fearing reprisals and further violence.

The conflict on the planet continued to spiral, so much so that Union peacekeeping forces engaged, assisting ARSP in regaining control of the revolting cities. For the SIAP, the short campaign was a complete failure, with the fighting drawing intense scrutiny from neutral parties and resulting in little resource gains. With both the violence on Negordy and attacks on trade routes by rogue SIAP ships, ARSP officially allied with the Union against the SIAP with minimal debate.

#### The Strydorian Rebellion

With continual failures across Andromeda and mounting external pressure to protect the SIAP planets, Trusk and his family secretly planned an armistice with the Union, to avoid further fighting and complete destruction of Tridorian planets. The Trusk family, the oldest and most established on Strydoria, planned a coup of governmental facilities with members of the Reinmarc family. With Basile having retreated from the public view due to health issues, Trusk viewed the SIAP as lacking a strong leader and spiraling into utter destruction. As such, he planned to use his family's power and his own popularity to forge a truce with the Union government.

The coup began on the planetary day of Gar'Dota, when most population centers were clear due to independent celebrations. Trusk allies seized the primary buildings, with Trusk himself claiming the capital building in Tarakan. From there, Trusk issued a declaration of armistice and contacted the Union government, seeking an armistice for both sides. The declaration was met with mixed resistance; some forces listened, surrendering to SRC forces, others viewed the declaration as betrayal by Trusk. What little support by authorities on Terxronia and Tridoria appeared was quickly squashed by nationalistic fervor. Basile himself reemerged, issuing a proclamation against the declaration of armistice and effectively ending the coup. Left only with his most fervent supporters, Trusk and his allies were claimed by Tridorian mobs outside the capital building. The short-lived rebellion was punished severely by mob violence, with the majority of the Trusk family publicly executed and Trusk himself hung and dragged through the streets of Tarakan.

The other Tridorian families enacted purges of Trusk supporters, ousting them from important positions, but being keen to avoid overly severe punishments. The short coup ended with other small-scale rebellions on SIAP worlds, most stopped by nationalistic civilian groups. The Ananahi family, fearing a fate similar to the Trusk due to their outspoken pacifist beliefs throughout the war, embarked on a less overt attempt at peace, assassinating warmonger Tridorian leaders and secretly contacting the Sector Infiltration Corps to continue Trusk's peace talks. The family was interrupted by increased security measures. However, the affair was kept secret from the public by Basile and blamed on rogue pro-Union agents, with the Ananahi punished with only prison sentences to avoid continued violence amongst the Tridorian families.

#### Ambush on Exumasphere

In lack of a strong military leader, Basile was persuaded by desperate SIAP leaders to conduct a final raid. He obliged and the SIAP, seeing that a coordinated raid against the seat of the Planetary Union government was the only way to avoid complete capitalization, prepared to attack Exumasphere. The attack was coordinated by underground SIAP allied groups on Exumasphere, with troops and supplies slowly being funneled into the city's underground passages over a period of three months. The attack was aimed against the Government District, namely the Universal Records building, maintained by members of the Warrior Sect. The gambit was led by Basile personally, accompanied by the Basilisk Squadron commando unit, and other high-ranking units recalled from across Andromeda.

The beginning of the attack was marked by bombings against security stations in the Government District. The SIAP forces emerged, with the bulk of the force claiming the Universal Records building. The records inside were used an inanimate hostage, preventing the initial surge in response from security forces. However, SIAP forces stationed at the port itself were unable to prevent the greater district from locking down, preventing reinforcements to the group in the Records building. This main group were eventually forced to surrender.

The maneuver proved a failure for the SIAP, who lacked sufficient forces and support. The attack had little impact on the public perception of the war, with the attack viewed as desperate by Union civilians rather than a credible risk. Basile was heavily injured in the fighting and retreated permanently from the public view. Control of the SIAP was granted to Adalhied Hunxe, Basile's economic minister, who faced a retaliatory strike from the Union.

#### The Destruction of the Ambition Fleet

Despite Trusk's death and the defeat at Exumasphere, the Ambition Fleet still retained formidable numbers and firepower under the guise of Vice Commander Dieme, posing a risk to attacking forces. As such, Admiral Kaliowae was permitted by Eckhart to explicitly hunt down and destroy the Ambition Fleet. While Kaliowae gathered a force, Dieme met with ships that had participated at Exumasphere at the edge of the sector. This proved a fatal mistake; ARSP's Garden Fleet, gathered at the nearby Winsby, took the chance to disrupt the fleet. While the ARSP forces lacked enough firepower to destroy the fleet, it was blocked from reinforcing Strydoria. Dieme decided to lead the fleet on a hit-and-run campaign against Union allied worlds, to delay the inevitable invasion of the sector.

The Ambition Fleet left the Asteroid Sector and commenced on a brief campaign of raids and piracy, stalking the northern systems and attacking four Union planets with sudden bombardments and raids. Fearful of a potential attack, the Circittan World Coalition, having formally allied with the Union, directly funded Kaliowae's force. Dieme's undoing was at Akoopa, where the fleet's attack and pull out was delayed by ongoing rebellions onworld, allowing Kaliowae, who had been tracking the Ambition Fleet, enough time to intercept the fleet. The large attacking force was enough to destroy the fleet's remaining capital ships, and with his flagship crippled, Dieme and the remainder of the Ambition Fleet surrendered.

#### Asteroid Offensive

With the SIAP's loss of the bulk of their top units, the Union organized a final push into the Asteroid Sector to end the war. A large coalition of the 1st Fleet, 2nd Fleet, parts of the 3rd Fleet, ARSP's Garden Fleet, and volunteer vessels from ally worlds gathered at the captured worlds of Winsby and Neinbien and prepared an offensive against the Asteroid Sector, led by Supreme Commander Eckhart.

The first target was the central Strydoria, the seat of the SIAP government. While weakened, the SIAP still maintained considerable defenses for their main three worlds, who similarly prepared for the offensive through the construction of temporary bunkers and trench lines. While the defensives were fierce, the sheer numbers of the coalition overpowered any air defensives. The bulk of the remaining SIAP Army was concentrated in Tarakan; in efforts to avoid unnecessary causalities, the coalition engaged the army from outside the city, sieging the defenders until the city's shields were broke. Once Tarakan was captured, a ceasefire was declared by Hunxe, which most of the SIAP forces obeyed.

However, nationalistic forces on Terxronia and Tridoria still offered open resistance. The SRC fleets blockaded Terxronia, using the planet's lack of air forces to starve out the Terxronian cities. The Terxronian leaders, seeing the futility of continued fighting, surrendered, much to the dismay of some remaining Terxronian forces. Tridoria, though smaller, posed similarly fierce resistance. The remaining pockets of SIAP forces were similarly sieged by ARSP forces from the Garden Fleet. In the final Second Battle of Tridoria, ARSP and SRC forces stormed against the last defenders of Acheron, the symbolic capture of the city marking the end of the war. With the capture of Acheron and Tridoria, Hunxe and the System of Independent Alien Planets unconditionally surrendered to the Planetary Union.

## Aftermath

### Treaty of Cepec

The drafting of a peace treaty was arranged on the planet of Cepec, with the majority of the terms controlled by the Planetary Union and the Andromeda Republic of Socialist Planets. Consideration was also granted to Union allies such as the Circittan World Coalition and the general public. The drafting and debate on the treaty took place over a period of two months by 62 delegates from Union and ARSP worlds.

The debate of the treaty's terms was initially tense, with the Unionist party and military members arguing for reverting the instigating secessions and harsh treatment of the System's member worlds and species. Contrarily, the Concentrats party argued to retain the secession and allow the defeated SIAP a place in the negotiations. Eventually, a compromise between the two sides was reached with heavy influence by both the sympathetic leaning and war-tired public and the concession laden beliefs of Eckhart. In 464 ACE, the Treaty of Cepec was ratified by the Planetary Union, ARSP, and the SIAP, and signed by Prime Minister Cambel and Speaker Hunxe, effectively ending the Secession War.

###### Terms of the Treaty

1. In signing the Treaty of Cepec, the System of Independent Alien Planets formally accepted blame for starting the war and various war crimes committed throughout. In turn, the System was allowed to operate independently from the Union, without forced reintegration or restrictions against member worlds.
2. Every active SIAP force is allowed to relinquish their arms and retreat to civilian life without repercussions, at the threat of retaliation if violence continued.
3. The SIAP would undergo demilitarization for a period of twenty years and limited militarization there afterwards, including the decommission of any still operating war bot production facilities.
4. The leadership and military of the SIAP must subject members to prosecution by nonpartisan trials for war crimes. The Union would participate in the same trials.
5. The Asteroid Sector would occupied militarily by the SRC for a period of five years, to ensure pacification of more fervent groups and the continuation of peace.
6. Trade would be reopened to the Asteroid Sector and trade will be allowed between members of different governments with restrictions on trading military good and tariffs on System exports
7. Any captured territories by the SIAP would be relinquished to their former owners or granted sovereignty.