Dominated by the Great Rift, Reft Sector is appropriately named. A single 7
parsec route is all there is to allow traffic to cross the rift through this
sector. During the short time between Imperial discovery of the route and
Islands Warfare making travel hazardous, traffic was light. Crossing the gulf
was uneconomical for all but the largest of freighters. Military vessels, who
were more concerned with time than with bank payments, made more use of the
route than civilian ones.
The sector can be divided into 3 parts: spinrift, islands, and trailrift.
Each of these sections, though just a few parsecs apart have led very different histories.
The trailrift portion of the sector was initially settled by the
Loeskalth, a minor human race from Vipach subsector (Gushemege M).
Having received jump technology from the Vlani, the Loeskalth plundered the
area, especially Dlaekan (3134), home to the
Tapazmal,
another minor human race. The Vlani absorbed the area, and the Tapazmal, after
destroying the Loeskalth around -4300. The Tapazmal fared better during the
Second Imperium as the Solomani were eager to have an ally in the area. The
Tapazmal were allowed to expand and colonize several worlds as a result of
their cooperation.
The spinrift portion of the sector was settled by Vlani refugees fleeing Vargr
attacks on worlds in Corridor. "Evidence of Vilani
presence has been found on multiple worlds in Reft and
Trojan Reach. Most finds are dated between -2300
and -1700. Most of the Vilani settlements in Reft died out long before the
advent of the Third Imperium." [TD #20]
Unlike the other portions of the sector, the Islands portion was settled by
Solomani. Solomani explorers set out from Earth in 3 sub-light craft in 2050 AD
(-2471 Imperial). Over 2400 years later, just as the Third Imperium was about to
form, they arrived in the Old Islands subsector at New Home (1925),
Neubayern (1822), and Amondiage (2325). Further colonization of
the Islands cluster continued slowly over the next several hundred years.
The trailrift portion of the sector, although on the fringes, enjoyed the
fruits of being part of Imperial society. Culturally, the worlds were
Ilelish and even joined with them during the Ilelish Revolt.
Permanent habitation of the spinrift portion of the sector began around 300. It
has fluctuated from backwater to frontier but has never enjoyed the prosperity
of the trailrift portion.
In 980, an Imperial Strike Cruiser misjumped into the Islands cluster at
Serendip Belt (1323). The crew of the cruiser got assistance from the
locals in repairing their jump drive who, in turn, learned how to make a jump
drive. The Serendipians then set about to conquer their neighbors. Several
years later, an IISS expedition contacted the area. Upon observing the unfair
advantage the Serendipians had as a result of an Imperial misjump, these scouts
felt obligated to distribute jumpdrive technology to several other worlds in
order to restore the balance of power in the area.
When the Rebellion broke out, the trailrift portion of the sector once again
allied itself to the Federation of Ilelish. This gave Dulinor control over the
trailing portion of the route across the rift. This proved strategic later on in
the war as it prevented Archduke Norris from sending any reinforcements to
Strephon. The Tapazmal eventually became disillusioned with Dulinor and began a
series of guerilla wars to liberate themselves from him and join with Strephon.
When word of the assasination of Strephon, and more importantly the Aslan
ambassador, reached the Aslan Hierate, it set a fire underneath the Aslan.
Aslan ihatei drove across the Hierate to join their clansmen in
Riftspan Reaches &
Trojan Reach and began to push their way coreward.
The spinrift portion of the sector was in their path and they captured several
worlds before being stopped by Archduke Norris' forces.
Meanwhile, just like old Earth, the Islands cluster had split up into several
nation-states and went to war with one another in 1106.
The trailrift portion of the sector, like everything else trailing the Great
Rift, was infected by Virus. It is rumored, and quite likely, that several
attempts were made by Vampire Fleets to cross the rift through the Islands
subsectors. The RQS deems the matter classified.
Trojan Reach Sector Duchess, Sharik Arcadia, took over after her predecessor
committed suicide in 1119. She initiated counterintelligence operations which
caused the united Aslan front to disintegrate. Norris sent reinforcements to
help her secure antebellum boundaries. By 1131 the conflict had ended. Aslan
occupied worlds in the spinrift portion of Reft sector were absorbed back into
the Regency, though the occupying Aslan typically stayed. This has led to
conflicts on several worlds between Humans and Aslan.
Disgusted by the Islands petty imperialistic aggressiveness towards one another,
and fearing a potential Viral infection vector, Regency forces stormed their
way into the cluster in 1140. The region was pacified and has been under
military rule by the RQS ever since. Although there were several dead worlds
found by the RQS upon their arrival, it was unknown at the time if the cause
was Islander warfare or Virus.
References:
CT Adventure 5: Trillion Credit Squadron
DGP's Solomani & Aslan
Travellers' Digest Issue 20
Regency Sourcebook
Galactic 2.4 Gushemege Sector writeup by David Burden