The Second Extrasolar War ended with the death
of an entire world. Experimental petrusite warheads, intended
to be used against Earth, were instead ignited over Helghan. The detonation catalyzed in the planet’s
atmosphere and petrusite fueled atomic fire tore across its surface. In seconds, the Helghan Empire had been destroyed. The Helghast people had paid the price for
their relentless desire for power, but even the victors of the conflict were horrified
at its cost. The survivors of what would become known as
the Terracide were limited to the lucky few who had time to seek protection in underground
shelters and those who had been safely offworld at the time of the attack. In a torrid irony, the Helghan military, those
most responsible for the destruction of their homeworld, remained at least partially intact. Its fleets in orbit had been shieldest against
the majority of the petrusite detonation and they remained the last bargaining chip left
to the Helghast. Unwilling and perhaps unable to defeat what
would almost certainly be a final suicidal attack by remnant Helghast forces, the United
Colonial Nations and the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance agreed to an armistice. Vekta, jewel of the Alpha Centauri system
and long the target of Helghast ambitions, was partitioned. Half the planet would remain under the authority
of the UCN, and a new Helghan regime would be granted sovereignty over the rest. In 2360, Helghan warships appeared over Vekta. For the first time however, these were not
the vanguard of an invasion, but transports bringing the scattered refugees of a defeated
people to their new home. A year later, the Helghan Republic was founded. Optimistically referred to as “New Helghan”,
the young republic quickly emulated the worst aspects of its predecessor. Hera Visari, daughter of the man most responsible
for the Helghan nation, was appointed Chancellor of a new civilian government. The dominance of the military even before
the events of the Terracide prevented any political reforms however. While Hera Visari sought to avoid the same
mistakes that had ruined her people, true power was consolidated within the military,
reducing her to little more than a figurehead. Today the Helghan Republic is nearly indistinguishable
from the Helghan Empire. It is a totalitarian police state that exerts
total control over its populace. Unlike its predecessor however, the Republic
lacks the economic power and population to maintain even the current state of its military. The state has worked to restore its centralized
industrial potential above any other consideration. Heavy manufacturing plants and space elevators
dominate the Helghast sector of Vekta, while its citizens suffer from poverty, famine,
and rampant shortages of consumer goods. Mass graves have been reported in the Helghan
sector alongside desperate acts of cannibalism. Government sponsored initiatives intended
to maintain a high birth rate and repopulate the Helghan race have further complicated
the situation and led to unsustainable demographics. Dire conditions amongst the lower classes
have led to widespread crime and the formation of various extremist and anti-government groups. The most prevalent of these is the Black Hand,
terrorists hoping to start a new war between the Helghast and the ISA. They despise the policies of appeasement set
by their own government and attack civilian targets on both sides of Vekta. The rise of tensions on Vekta was epitomized
in the construction of the Vektan-Helghast Wall, an enormous barrier physically separating
each side. Ironically, the construction of the wall was
the only joint venture in which both the Vektans and Helghast have cooperated with one another. The wall passes through the core of Vekta
City, and the isolated communities on either side now exist in starkly contrasting states. The Helghast Army remains a shadow of its
former self and unable to maintain its former doctrine of attrition warfare on a vast scale. Instead, the mass formations it utilized in
the Second Extrasolar War were restructured into smaller units emphasizing tactical flexibility
and superior firepower. To offset its numerical disadvantage, the
Helghan armed forces are increasingly reliant on drones and robotics. Its Navy is likewise a pale reflection of
former Helghast glory. The ships which loom over the Vekta sector
are relics from the Second Extrasolar War, intermittently retrofitted, but hardly a match
for modern ISA warships. But unbeknownst to ISA Intelligence and even
some of the highest members of New Helghan’s civilian government, the decrepit state of
the Helghast military was in fact a ruse, meant to conceal the largest rearmament campaign
in human history. Only a portion of Helghan’s survivors had
taken refuge on Vekta. Others had remained on their broken homeworld,
establishing a new military apparatus deep beneath the planet’s shattered surface. Mining operations had been established on
a scale far larger than was publically reported, clandestinely providing raw materials for
a restored military industrial complex. Under the leadership of Jorhan Stahl, the
main architect behind the petrusite weapons detonated over Helghan, hundreds of new warships
had been constructed and the Helghast military restored. Once the full extent of the Helghast’s presence
on their homeworld was realized, the ISA moved to counter it. Losses were horrific on both sides and only
the actions of a select few prevented the situation from escalating into a renewed total
war. If there is one trait above all the Helghast
have repeatedly demonstrated it is their remarkable capacity for survival. Perhaps no other group in human history could
endure the same struggle without breaking and in spite of their suffering, they remain
capable of winning for themselves a new future. What shape that future will take however remains
difficult to predict. Many within the Republic’s government only
want peace and prosperity for their people, but control still remains within the cabal
of military leaders who desperately want to restore their former glory. The final words of Scolar Visari promised
that his death would bring about only madness. History, thus far, has proven him right. The Templin Institute investigates alternate
worlds and realities. If you’ve enjoyed this video and would like
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