The Phoenix Stars is a small association of former Syndicate star systems located on the edge of human occupied space. The Phoenix Stars controls only a handful of systems and is dedicated to mutual trade to bolster the star systems local economies and mutual Defense against the Syndicate Worlds, The Enigma's and any local aspiring warlords.
History[]
Founding[]
The creation of Phoenix Stars began almost with Midway's independence. Soon after getting free of Syndicate World loyalists, Midway's leaders, President Gwen Iceni discovered the presence of an unfinished Battleship, the B-78, in the nearby system of Kane. Iceni led almost all of Midway Flotilla to capture it, in the First Battle of Kane. Her original intentions were to return to Midway right after, but after knowing the situation on Kane, decided to force the Syndic Loyalists out from the system. Kane was free from the Syndicate, but soon fall into a civil war.
Right after returning to Midway, it was the turn of the other Midway's leader, General Artur Drakon, to suggest another operation, this one to Taroa. There it was also a civil war going on, and he expected to help win the Free Taroans, creating a friendly nearby system. The secondary objective was to take Taroa's shipyards, much bigger than Midway's, along with the capital ship in construction there. The Battle of Taroa was a resounding success. However, the taking of the shipyards created frictions with Taroa's government, but after the Second Battle of Midway, Iceni eased the matter giving the capital ship and an unknown portion of the shipyards to Taroa's in exchange of a permanent alliance between Taroa and Midway. This pact will become the foundation of Phoenix Stars.
After two failed attacks at Midway from a Syndic loyalist fleet, the defeated fleet, led by CEO Hua Boucher, bombarded Kane, devastating the cities and slaughtering most of planet's population, as example to those who rebelled against the Syndicate. Midway was the only one system which send some assistance to Kane. But the Syndicate's attempt to scare the people into submission failed: in fact, the bombardment scared Kahiki's system's forces: they broken ties with the Syndicate and demanded, and obtained, Midway's protection.
After the Attempt to Steal the Battleship, from Ulindi's forces, Midway send an invasion force to depose Ulindi's "independent" leader, Supreme CEO Haris. In fact, he hadn't broken ties with the syndicate, and Ulindi was a gigantic trap for Midway's forces... but the Battle of Ulindi didn't go as Syndicate expected: though bloodied, Midway's forces liberated Ulindi too.
After knowing the Enigma Race was trying to invade other system, Iceni and Drakon gathered the ambassadors of Taroa, Kane, Kahiki and Ulindi to make them an offer: to form a permanent defensive association.
The Phoenix Pact consisted in three articles: First, all signatory systems agree to work together, share what information they have, allow warships to transit each other's systems, and establish a unified command of warships, unified under Midway. Second, all accept to devote some of their resources to the common defense, paying the expenses of their own military units. Third, all systems commit to help paying reasonable sums to finance Midway's Flotilla.
All ambassadors agreed, signalling the birth of the Phoenix Stars.
Early struggles[]
The first struggle of Phoenix Stars forces was to defeat another Syndic Loyalist fleet, and Enigma race invasion, and another new state's attack, from the pirate leader Granaile Imallye. The Battle of Iwa wasn't a three-sided battle, because Granaille's forces assisted Midway's. The Enigmas destroyed the Syndic fleet, but were defeated and their hidden base totally destroyed.
Tirelessly, the Syndicate launched soon after another massive attack. Probably expecting to take a beachhead for another invasion, and possibly to weaken the Phoenix Stars, attacked their weakest member: Kane. The survivors resistance was very strong, but Midway's Flotilla's ships were being repaired, so were unable to assist... but the arrival at Midway of Alliance First Fleet on a mission into Dancer Space, led by admiral John Geary, changed this. Invoking an Alliance promise of the admiral, Iceni, along with ambassador Rycerz on the Boundless, convinced him to assist. A joint Alliance-Midway task force arrived to Kane. The Second Battle of Kane was another disaster for the Syndicate: all their space forces were destroyed, their ground forces were either dead or assimilated into Midway's ground forces, any surviving Heavy Troop Transports and modified Freighters were captured, and Kane was saved. Also, Kane obtained a strong space unit: the Corsair.
Relationships with other interstellar powers[]
Alliance[]
The Phoenix Stars has a "Tense" relationship with the Alliance, Having been raised in the Syndicate to believe that the Alliance were aggressors in the War, most people in the former syndicate systems treat the Alliance with great suspicion, despite knowing that the syndicate lied to them for a century, the Alliance Fleet's actions against civilian targets before "Black Jack" Geary took command having left a great distaste in their mouths. The systems of the Phoenix Stars are only willing to deal with the Alliance through Admiral Geary, as many former syndicate systems believe he is "For the People".
Callas Republic[]
Because the Callas Republic is intertwined with the Alliance it can be assumed that they treat them with the same suspicion.
Dancers[]
Enigma's[]
Like with all other human powers the only interactions the systems of the Phoenix Stars have been hostile, this is unlikely to be resolved any time soon.
Rift Federation[]
Because the Rift Federation spent the last century fighting alongside the Alliance they have been treated with the same suspicion as the Alliance, the only interaction the the Phoenix stars has had with the Rift Federation independent from the Alliance is when a small Rift Fleet passed through the Midway system without communicating with local authorities.
Syndicate Worlds[]
The systems of the Phoenix Stars are former Syndicate colonies that have rebelled or had outside help in throwing off their shackles, because of this the Phoenix Stars and the Syndicate Worlds will likely continue to engage in continuous Military Conflict for the foreseeable future.