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The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/micktalian on 2025-12-20 22:00:15+00:00.
Part 150 Knowing history (Part 1) (Part 149)
Jartygons were not the first species that the Qui’ztars domesticated. That would be the ancient elk-horses that have since diverged into multiple distinct species due to controlled breeding. It wasn't until after the blue orc-elves had already developed writing systems that jartygons were brought into Qui’ztar history. An ancient rancher took pity on an injured jartygon she had shot with an arrow when she found it huddled with its cubs. Though genetically tied to all of the other lone-predator felines native to the Qui’ztar homeworld, their relatively unique small family-pack dynamics allowed for even wild jartygons to follow the lead of a benevolent Qui’ztar master. That mother began to guard the rancher’s flock instead of hunting them and taught its children to do the same. Then another ranch was inspired by the act of kindness and what amounted to free bodyguards was able to find another lonely mother.
When the hunters and warriors caught wind jartygons being domesticated, Qui'ztar historians don't need to rely upon fragment archeological evidence to know what happened next. Over the course of the next few thousand years, the vaguely dog-like felines became common working animals. Like all domesticated species, some individuals were more suited towards friendliness than work. As hunting was replaced by more sophisticated systems of ranching that didn’t require guarding, jartygons completely shifted roles from beasts of burden to family pets. Now, hundreds of thousands of years later, jartygons sleep on fluffy beds in nearly twenty percent of all Qui’ztar households across every single Matriarchy.
“I think Admiral Atxika may be right about you, Tensebwse.” Admiral Metztla's bioluminescent freckles sparkled as she watched jartygon, who she loved like a child, jumping up to lick Tens's face while the man vigorously scritched the pet. “My Tinjin doesn't like most people. He's very much a protective mommy's boy. I've only ever seen him act this livingly around children.”
“He probably smells the meat that Tensebwse always has in his pocket.” Marzima’s comment was totally innocent and truthful but still caused the older Admiral to shoot her a suggestive glance. It was only when Metz looked back at Tens and saw him unfastening one of his jacket pockets that she realized Marz's comment wasn't a joke.
“Can I- Oof! Don't lick my mouth!” As soon as Tens stopped bending down and began scratching the cheetah-striped hyena creature, the feline jumped up with its tongue out and aggressively friendly. “You need to relax, you big kitty! Can I give him some jerky, Admiral Metztla?”
“You would be his best friend if you did.” A joyous laugh slipped into Metz's not-so deep voice as the official reason for Tens, Marz, and Harv being on her flagship continued to slip her mind. “It might also keep his mouth busy for a while so he stops trying to kiss you like a drunk date.”
“He's definitely a frisky guy! But at least he's not leaving hickies and bite marks. Alright, Tinjin. Sit.” Despite having never seen one of these animals before, let alone interacted with one, there was something noticeably special about the human man's voice and mannerism as he gave that command. And it wasn't just the Qui’ztars who heard it. Tinjin's bottom immediately planted on to the floor and his whole body when stiff as a soldier standing at attention for an inspection. “Good boy! Here's some jerky. Just stop trying to put your tongue in my mouth.”
“Have you ever had a jartygon before?” Metz found herself questioning why her pet never seemed to obey her commands with that much ease.
“No, goko let any of us kids keep pets.” Once Tens handed over the slice of jerky, Tinjin gently accepted, slowly laid down, and began delicately chewing its treat. “But I have watched a few documentaries about the nomesh my people used to keep as pets. They look similar enough.”
“You may have to send me some links to those documentaries when you have a moment.” It was only now, when Tinjin had fully returned to his normally docile state, that Metz remembered the real purpose of this. “In the meantime, we have a strategy to discuss. With Nula'trula's confirmation of Shartelyk involvement with this and the surprising size of this operation, we have much to discuss.”
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No one is exactly sure when the first species Ascended to the stars in the Milky Way. The Singularity Collective's recorded history goes back just over a billion years and explicitly states that they emerged into an already active galaxy. Fundamentals of modern interstellar politics like the galactic common language system and matter-energy credits already existed back then. Countless species evolved intelligence, rose to the galactic stage, and eventually fell to extinction. While there are now more unique forms of Ascended life than there have been in the billion years, the ebb and flow of the galactic population has stabilized. Though they would never admit to it, or even believe it were true, the Singularity Collective is at least partially responsible for most species remaining humble in their expansion.
All major powers in the Galactic Community Council have an eye towards the future. The furthest tomorrows are just as mysterious as the days long in the past. It is believed that the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies will collide and eventually merge over the next three to five billion years. Every other galaxy outside of the local cluster will continue to grow so distant that they'll cross the stellar horizon and become unreachable by even the faster forms of FTL travel. That assumes, of course, that universal expansion continues accelerating at the current rates. But no one truly knows for certain. If any current civilization is going to see if those predictions are true, they and everyone else must be relatively conservative with the matter and energy they expend. Though the universe itself may be infinite, the Milky Way is not.
The Shartelyk Empire, or the Grand Holy Thilka Kingdom over all Shartelyk-kind as they prefer to be called, is at a crossroads. They, like so many others that came before them, are reaching what the SIngularity Collective refer to as a hundred-million year crisis. When a species reaches a certain age, usually around a hundred million years after Ascending to the galactic stage, they will begin to question why they have not achieved the impossibly lofty goals set by their ancient ancestors. In the case of Shartelyks, the founders of their interstellar empire envisioned an era where their temples and monuments to their gods could be found across the galaxy. That has not yet happened despite the willingness of other species far and wide to host Shartelyk religious sites assuming the Empire would pay for their construction.
“Amalyl.” High-Paladin Bikael Thilka, a Lord and two-hundredth in line for the Shartelyk Empire’s throne, didn’t bother to look up from the intelligence report he was reading when his subordinate Knight-Squire Amalyl Remsoiter sat down at the cafeteria table across from him. “How did the network analysis go? You were gone for over an hour.”
“We could not find any evidence of external access, my lord.” If the dense layer of short but pitch black fur weren’t covering Amalyl’s face, Bikael would have seen the relatively young woman was flush with anger. “But I could quite easily determine that our… Hired help… Are not well versed in communications or operational security. I had to update their intrusion counter measure protocols just to be safe.”
“It can’t be helped sometimes.” Unlike his Knight-Squire, the High-Paladin had grown used to working with other species to obtain his goals. “What these people occasionally lacked in discretion, they more than made up for in other regards. Between the Bendari who own this ship and the various mercenaries they hired, we have plenty of brute strength to distract those blue monkeys for a while.”
“Have we already managed to pull their patrol vessels away from our mining ventures?”
“Not yet but everything is going according to plan.” Bikael turned his tablet towards Amalyl so that he wouldn’t have to say anything potentially sensitive in such a public place. “First they will send a small subfleet to investigate the area. When those ships get ambushed and are forced to retreat or, better yet, destroyed, the monkeys will overreact just like they always do. That should give our people an opening to mine enough high-value supernova material to advance Great King Varnyn the Three-Hundred and Twelfth's plans.”
“His Excellency's ambitions are truly divine.” Right after the young Knight-Squire made that reverential remark, she watched her superior casually scratch one of his caprinae horns on his pauldron as he pulled back his tablet to continue reading. “Do you not agree, my Lord?”
“Our Great King is continuing on with the noble legacy of his father and his father before him. Their goal of spreading the benevolent light of our Gods...
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