Skrell History
The Skrell trace their origins to the humid, warm world of Qerr’Balak, a planet filled with numerous swamps, marshes and other similar wetlands, and a fair amount of densely forested jungles filled with beautiful and dangerous examples of alien fauna and flora. However, nothing in Qerr’Balak can truly capture the beauty and potential of the planet’s biosphere like the Skrell.
As one of the oldest known civilizations In the galaxy, rivaling only the Ascent, Skrell have a rich history and culture which predates that of Humans, Unathi and Tajara. Skrell tend to be very protective of their technological secrets, and while their own curiosity tends to make them interested in influencing other civilizations, they are very leery about outside interference into their own business.
Here is a global timeline of their history. The dates have been adapted to the human calendar for more clarity.
- 30,000 BCE - The first traces of skrellian civilization along with the founding of the first city in Qerr’balak are recorded. The first records of the existence of castes follow soon after.
- 1,500 BCE - The skrellian industrial revolution begins with the invention of the first assembly line.
- 1,400 BCE - The first aeroplane is invented.
- 1,200 BCE - The first Skrell is brought into orbit above Qerrbalak.
- 1,082 BCE - Skrellkind rejoices as the first successful launch of a Space Shuttle lands Astronaut Q'ikkori Xallic on Qerrbalak's second moon, Qixim.
- 800 BCE - The first skrellian colony is established on Qixim.
- 100 BCE - The first skrellian FTL shunt is finally functional after decades of testing and development. The Skrell expand outwards.
- 263 CE - The skrell discover a race of reptilian humanoids in the planet of Moghes during a deep-space exploration expedition. Contact is ultimately not made, and a state-of-the-art stealth listening port is established in orbit of the planet. News are received with apprehension.
- 400 CE - The Kali’r War begins, followed by a rapid intensification of the skrell’s military infrastructure and recon efforts.
- 1,000 CE - The old skrellian borders are taken, and further combat is deemed non-viable. This marks the end of the Kali’r war.
- 1,960 CE - The ring-world of Qerr’Kal’ol is finished and christened as the new capital and administrative hub of the skrellian space in an empire-wide celebration. The Skrell begin to explode outwards - this is the beginning of what is largely considered the skrellian golden age.
- 2,007CE - Formal contact is finally made with the Unathi, who are now a space-faring species. A bitter distaste from the Kali'r war remains, however, which prevents the establishment of closer relations for a long time.
- 2,080 CE - The Age of Expansion comes to a gradual close, the Empire sprawling much further across the arm than ever before. Additionally, a new thorn grows on the skrellian civilization as the Epsilon Directorate establishes itself away from the core territories.
- 2,100 CE - Ue-Katish pirates steadily grow in power as more border worlds are established. With less of a solid grip over their territory, and as the Ue-Katish population expands on these worlds due to difficulty in avoiding cross-caste matches, the freebooters offer an enticing economic option for the typically second-class citizens.
- 2,175 CE - The Skrell first encounter Humanity. First contact is made between a large exploration convoy and a human reconnaissance fleet, and whilst tense the contact is ultimately amicable. Skrellkind receives the news of another advanced species with apprehension, after their first experiences with the Ascent.
- 2,205 CE - The modern day. skrellian technological advancement has greatly stagnated over the last few centuries. Their society is now plagued with societal problems spanning from the now obsolete caste system. Too scared to reinvent their massive society, they are aware that it is slowly crumbling and nothing can solve it except for a radical change. Yet, very little change is accepted in an empire-wide scale. The skrell continue to thrive and constitute the single greatest empire in the galaxy, but for how long?
Origins
Despite the loss of their home world, relics capable of telling the story of the skrell still exist. The oldest skrell fossils come from millions of years before the current period. Evidence of their self-sustaining, communal lifestyle dates back to around 600.000BC. The usage of simple tools and fire also comes from around that period. Agriculture and writing came later at 40.000BC, along with the first signs of a society. Historians regard the city-state of Vol'za to be the first and most influential city in the continent of Ximi'taep. Vol'za was at first able to sustain itself in self-government. Yet, it would not always be this way. As population grew, a clear need for a government method appeared. Eventually, those charged with agriculture would become rulers. Since they controlled the food supply, they could more easily influence their society. Records showing the usage of psionics in the production process of many goods start here.
In the following years came the founding of more villages and cities around Vol'za. Technical and cultural advancements followed. The formal establishment of the caste system happened circa 35.000BC. It was an attempt to increase efficiency by channeling the psionic potential of certain skrell towards their area of work. Out of this, came three castes: The Kanin-Katish, employed with the production of goods, the defense of the city-state, and the production of food; The Talum-Katish, encharged with the maintenance of the city-state's image, tailoring, and the production of plays and sculptures for the city; and Malish-Katish, who were regarded as inventors, doctors and bureaucrats. Education, of course, also started to take its roots here. Different castes were conditioned towards certain functions by their parents and, later, by teachers. A council of Kanin in charge of the production of food continued to rule before being replaced by Malish. Eventually, a new caste-identity of the Qerr-Katish would split off of the Malish. They became the de-facto rulers and bureaucrats of a city-state.
At this point, in the infancy of the skrell society, very little centralization was seen. City-states were almost completely independent from one another. Vol'za, yet, owing to its revolutionary caste-based society, experienced a little golden age. Its food production was boosted through new farming techniques, primitive fertilizers and aqueducts. In turn, this allowed Vol'za to expand further and further into the continent. By 20.000BC, almost every single city-state in the proximity of Vol'za had annexed itself to them. This created a homogeneous skrell presence in the northern part of Ximi'taep.
Vol'za had now estabilished itself as a regional powerhouse. However, they would soon receive news of the presence of other skrell in the continent. Ximi'taep was, after all, a vast land and much of it continued unexplored. Travelers would tell the tales of a city-state beyond the mountain range which separated the continent in half. This was enough to spark the curiosity of the skrell of Vol'za. Soon enough, expeditions to meet up with their southern neighbors were organized. After a few weeks, contact was made with the imperial city-state of Qui-xol. A large contrast between the cultures of each city-state was observed. The dialects spoken by them were also not mutually intelligible, despite sharing the same linguistic roots.
As time went on, the initially amicable relations between both city-states started to grow cold. While the skrell of Vol'za continued to expand and grow, the skrell of Qui-xol were almost stagnant. It was difficult to grow food in the colder temperatures and improper soil near Qui-xol. However, it was not without its benefits, as a vast mineral wealth lied below the surface. Vol'za, wanting the annexation of their neighbors, decided to assist them as a show of good will. This allowed the city-state of Qui-xol to finally grow and prosper. Technological advancements were also well underway. Due to that, Qui-xol was able to discover the secrets of metal working by 18.000BC. Trade routes were soon put in place, exchanging food for ore. Even then, Qui-xol was still not impressed with the poorly-understood practices of Vol'za. A lot of cultural shock existed, from their diverging government methods to their different stances on society. Their differing dialects also did not help mend the issue.
In the following years, the cordial relations between both city-states continued to decline. Vol'za attempted to coerce their neighbors into annexation by restricting the export of food towards Qui-xol. In return, they cut their supply of cooper to Vol'za, marking the first 'trade-war' in the story of the skrell. Restrictions would slowly start to loosen up in the following months. However, this made the skrell of the Qui-xol empire incredibly annoyed and upset. A lack of effort from both parties to make amends further worsened relations. Shortly afterwards the skrell of Qui-xol began to devise military strategies. The discovery of bronze and specialized psi-training also allowed them a small strategic edge. In a few months, their army would be ready to march towards Vol'za.
What ensued in 17.000BC was one of the most remarkable conflicts between skrellkind. Vol'za had a numerical advantage. However, they were taken by surprise with the Qui-xol offensive and panic ensued. After many failed attempts at diplomacy, an invasion was launched. The Kanin-Katish defences were eventually overwhelmed, allowing Qui-xol to capture the city. The more advanced technologies in use and the more refined tactics gave them an edge. As such, Vol'za would be under the rule of skrell from another society for the foreseeable future. As years went by, the skrell of Qui-xol would end up growing attached to their rival city-state. Vol'za had cultural intricacies beyond their wildest dreams. From the fantastic plays made by the Talum, to the high quality goods made by their artisans. From the highly competent Malish to the incredibly hard-working Kanin. It was obvious that, at least where societal advancements were concerned, Vol'za was light-years ahead. Similarly, the tightly-knit mindset of Qui-xol and their rigorous discipline also managed to capture the hearts of Vol'za citizens. Soon, aggression turned into tolerance, which in turn became mutual appreciation.
This ended up cultivating a small rebirth of the skrellian civilization. Qui'xol managed to achieve a military victory. However, historians often regard Vol'za as the true winner of this conflict. Their intricate culture and traditions managed to secure them a political victory. As time went on, the skrell from Qui-xol annexed themselves- this time willingly- to Vol'za. Their ruling method prevailed, however, as the previous ruling party was replaced by a single skrell, who was now known as a 'Qrii-Skria'. Shortly after, a new caste splitting off the Kanin-Katish was also envisioned and decreed, the Raskinta-Katish. Trusted with the protection of their community from outside threats. It is also around this time that the founding of the Qerr-Koal council happens, to help the Qrii-Skria rule.
Peace prospered, and the next age was one of advancements. In the following centuries came the discovery of many new technologies. The exploration and colonization of Gillis'taep, Qerr'Balak's second continent also achieved success. The skrell population kept growing, and so did their ambitions and potential. Psionics remained as an collectively poorly-understood phenomena. However, this is not to say that proper research and studies were not conducted. The technologies of this period utilizing psionics were, yet, crude and inefficient. Money first started to be utilized here. It was seen as token of trade between city-states and specialized artisan guilds. This period also marks a slight decentralization of the skrell civilization. One by one, city states continued to be annexed to Vol'za. This ultimately caused a small fragmentation of the skrellian society. Individual kingdoms still formally bound to Vol'za formed, each with their own Qrii-Skria. This resulted in the formation of the Qrii-Qerria and the Qerr-Skria. This distribution of power would carry over well into the contemporary age, resulting in a loosely centralized government structure.
Finally, by 1650BC, steam power was finally discovered by a skrell inventor. It would take a few more years before it would achieve widespread usage in the production of power. The dawn of their first industrial revolution would come shortly after at 1500BC. Then electricity was discovered, followed by the automobile, petrol, the airplane, radio and the television all the way up to the rocket. This allowed the first skrell to be sent to the orbit in 1200BC. Further refinements in technology, along with infrastructure upgrades to their cities took place. By 1082BC the first skrellian astronaut, Q'ikkori Xallic, landed on Qixim, Qerr'Balak's second moon. A proper colony would only be built years later at 800BC.
From this time onward, the skrell would continue to colonize their system. With a population surpassing the billions and with the infrastructure to back them off, it was time to head into space. One by one, habitats and orbital installations were built around Qerr'Vallis. A massive shift was observed in the skrellian society as they headed for space. The invention of the FTL shunt happened in 100BC. With its refinement, skrell finally took their ambition to the stars.
The first news of another sentient race would come with some apprehension. Around 200BC, the skrell would discover the planet of Moghes. Plans to explore and later colonize the very distant system would soon come in place. The skrell, however, would soon learn that the planet was inhabited by sentient, sapient reptiles, who would much later on be known as the Unathi. Seeing this as an amazing opportunity for research, a listening port with state-of-the-art stealth technology was established on high-orbit above Moghes. Formal contact between both species would only happen more than a millennium later.
Lastly, a new golden age of expansion begins. A strong, romanticized emphasis on colonizing new systems was seen all across their civilization. Qerr-Balak is ultimately relegated as an administrative center. Companies would soon begin to streamline the production process on an interstellar scale. Some of them still thrive to this day:
| Significant Organisations | |
| Organisation | Description |
| Krri'gli Corp. | Originally building aeroplanes, the Krri'gli Corporation became one of the most powerful skrellian corporations when it expanded into space habitat and vessel construction and started building ships and stations for most of Qerr'balak's City-States. Controlling the process from concept design to construction, they have a reputation of manufacturing the safest infrastructure Skrellkind can provide in terms of space colonisation. |
| Gloa'Morr Corp. | Initially a branch of Qorr'moa Inc. specialized in pharmaceuticals, Gloa'Morr was made an independent entity by a royal decree of the city of Vol'za shortly after the invention of the antimatter drive. It now provides most of Qerr'Kal’ol's health centres with medicine, along with several other colonies within the core of Skrell space. |
| Qorr'moa Inc. | Founded in the aftermath of the Vol'za War, Qorr'moa Inc. quickly established itself as the biggest food manufacturer of the planet. While its manufacturing sector is still growing to this day, it has recently opened to new opportunities, most notably in the field of genetic engineering to widen its range of products. |
| Qerr’Kimikruuv Technologies | Founded shortly after the skrellian industrial age, Qerr’Kimikruuv is now one of the oldest suppliers of military equipment to city-states and SDTFs alike. Qerr’Kimikruuv has pioneered the development of pulse-based technology as well as magnetically accelerated projectiles, and is often credited with their wide adoption across skrellian space defence forces. |
| Kale’Kale Manufactures | Named after its home system, Kale’Kale Manufactures is one of the few corporations who are currently pioneering psionic-based technology such as weaponry fitted with psionic micro-transmitter relays and psionic interfaces for a number of different applications, in spite of the enormous bureaucratic burdens faced. While still fairly uncommon, some SDTFs have already began employing prototype rifles for field-testing. |
| Ki’Maqrerr Inc | One of the best-known attire suppliers in skrellian space, Ki’Maqrerr specializes in traditional, expensive and handcrafted garments from headtail bands to more complex clothing attires. It is not uncommon to see Qerr-Katish or Talum sporting such outfits as a show of good taste, especially during important occasions. |
Fauna
The wildlife of Qerr'balak is similar to what one would see in an earth jungle or swamp, the main difference being that Qerrbalak has a good portion of its wildlife composed of reptile-like species, while the other portion of the population is taken up by strange, amphibious creatures that thrived within the swamps of Qerr'balak. Although such specimens were mostly annihilated during the destruction of Qerr’balak’s biosphere, many of them have been successfully reintroduced in the habitable ring-world sections of Qerr’Vallis with the use of cloning technology and DNA samples.
| Significant Fauna | |
| Fauna | Description |
| Mektal | These are large, bovine sized creatures that are similar in many ways to Komodo Dragons on Earth, They are fast, efficient hunters that kill through biting and clawing, if the overall physical damage they inflict on you doesn't kill you the toxins they release through their bites will. They often hunt smaller animals and their territory includes both swamp and jungle areas of Qerr'balak. |
| Neaera | These creatures can be essentially described as an odd mix of Salamander, Frog and Monkey, they often travel about the swamps via the trees and they hunt the larger insects of the swamps as well as much of the native flora. While they are practically tame and meek in the presence of Skrell, they seem to fear humans greatly and flee if they see one. |
| Kerr'k | A large, fish-like creature which travels in the swamps of Qerr’balak, they are considered very dangerous and often attack any creature which is smaller than it (which includes most of the planet's fauna, it is safest to travel in known Kerr'k territory in a large vehicle). The creature is in truth, not a true fish but an amphibian, which is shaped similarly to a snake. It often eats its prey whole and digests everything, including the bones. |
| Th'oom | These creatures are large reptiles that travel in packs, they are often used by the Skrell as cattle, carrying loads and providing fertilizer for crops. Although Skrell have never cooked one themselves due to their bodies being unable to digest meat. They naturally come from the jungles of Qerr'balak, but due to their usefulness they are seen across the entirety of Skrell space, having been imported to many colony worlds early in Skrell history. |
Flora
The Flora of Qerr'balak is vast and in human eyes, strange. The swamps themselves are coloured an odd, dark blue caused by moss that grows in the areas, whereas the trees of Qerr'balak are more akin to extremely large bushes then actual trees, as they have no bark on them and the insides are green, some humans have mistakenly said that they are large vines. The jungle itself lends to that as parts of it are densely populated by large patches of thorny plants that grow into each other giving the appearance of vines. Such examples of flora are now widely available on the habitable sections of the Qerr’Vallis ring-world, mimicking the original environment of Qerr’balak flawlessly.
| Significant Flora | |
| Flora | Description |
| Krro'a | A parasitic mushroom, the Krro'a grows on most of the species of small bushes found on Qerr'balak. Feeding on the host, it spreads as a thin, white web over its surface and stays on it until it dies, after which the flexible but tough tissue withers and disperses around the dead plant to find new hosts. While the Skrell use it in many culinary ways, it is highly toxic for humans. |
| Th'oom'al | What initially started as a mild mycosis on the Th'oom of Qerr'balak ended up being the culinary event of the 18th century for Skrell. Growing between the scales of the oldest reptiles, the Skrell discovered that, while being neither harmful nor painful to the animals, the Th'oom'al was actually a very nutritious and tasteful mushroom the Kanin-Katish were quickly able to harvest in large quantities, leading the newly found organism to become a major ingredient in many skrellian dishes. While having no tangible effect on Skrell, the various psychotropic substances inside the mushroom were found to be dangerous to other species. |
| Qokk'loa | One would be too quick in describing the Qokk'loa as simple moss : While it bears some resemblance to the earth species in its first stage of life, this blue plant solidifies after a few months, taking the aspect and texture of bark, forming large patches over the southern forests of Ximi'taep. The Skrell quickly discovered that, during this second stage, the Qokk'loa contained large amounts of what could be compared to green sap. Once exposed to air, it is only a matter of hours before the sap solidifies into a smooth, fragile structure. The solidified sap is now consumed as a snack throughout the skrellian territories. Lethal to humans, the Skrell still feel the mind numbing, relaxing effects of the sap for a few hours after consumption. Qokk'loa is often distilled and refined further to make what is known as Qokk'hrona, known to humanity as skrellian wine, it is the Skrell equivalent of alcohol, with similar effects to Earth alcohol, though the effects only last for approximately six hours, depending on the amount consumed. Overdosing can result in a coma and, sometimes, death and is mainly enjoyed by Skrell at significant events, celebrations and funerals. |
| Ximi'koa | These slander red stalks reminiscent of Earthworms grow in the waters of Ximi'taep's swamps. While having close to no nutritional value, their sweet taste makes them a common condiment in traditional skrellian dishes. It is safe for consumption for non-Skrell. |
| Go'moa | Possibly among the most familiar-looking species for humans, the Go'moa is a small, orange mushroom growing in large fields on the plains of Xi'krri'oal. Not only one of the main ingredients of mainstream skrellian food, it is also a curious spectacle for the newly arrived tourist, as the spores of the plant, slightly bio-luminescent, give an eerie glow to Qerr'balak's fields at night. |
| Kol'mo | The Kol'mo is among the largest species of mushrooms found on Qerr'balak. Growing in random shapes, capable of growing up to three metres in height and six metres in width, it is a favourite among the Talum-Katish for it allows them to craft the beautiful (and edible) sculptures some of the most skillful skrellian culinarians are famous for. It also varies wildly in colour and can range from a dark blue to an orange-red depending on its growing conditions. |
| Mi'krrixi | A small bush native of Qorr'gla, the Mi'krrixi produces small, round purple fruit with a skin similar to lemons, used in skrellian dishes since the time of tribes. It is advised to squeeze the fruit before consumption, as the amount of hallucinogenic substances it contains can be potentially dangerous, even for Skrell. Human consumption is not advised, though possible in small amounts, the consumption of which leaves a human on a psychoactive trip for days. |
| O'krri | A mushroom that grows as a thin yellow layer over small ponds, the bitter taste of the O'krri has made it a reliable ingredient for skrellian recipes for centuries. While not strictly dangerous for humans, it is known to make them dizzy, sometimes to the point of somnolence. |
The Kali’r War
Many more improvements to the primitive FTL shunt happened. With them, colonizing systems in deep space was starting to become an industry in itself. This was the case for Kali’ruuk, an unknown, binary star system in the edge of the skrell territory. Far away from the main ‘blob’ of skrellian systems, Kali’ruuk was, however, a quite populous system. Owing to its massive mineral reserves, it attracted a lot of attention from the empire. With that in mind, Kali'ruuk quickly became a major provider of raw ores after its colonization.
Unfortunately, the Skrell were not the only ones who were aware of the system’s rich mineral reserves. One day, a fleet of strip-mining drones inadvertently attacked most of the system’s installations. This caused a great loss of life on the many orbital structures in the system. A chaotic fighting ensued and the security forces in the system barely managed to overpower the automated vessels. Many of those hostile ships were destroyed, and the remaining ones retreated speedily. Upon closer investigation, the advanced design of those drones attracted the attention of the skrell. Research efforts to comprehend those very odd vessels quickly began. Fearing new incursions, city states close to Kali’ruuk opted to invest money in the creation of a new SDTF. It would later be called Kali’mak.
Kali’ruuk was evacuated to prevent further loss of life. A month later, a hastily thrown-together fleet of Kali’Mak warships made their way to the system. They quickly secured the system further, building a myriad of different orbital installations. Later, a small fleet of unknown warships approached Kali’ruuk. The first formal contact between both species was estabilished shortly afterwards. The somewhat upset Skrell demanded an apology and repatriation for the lost lives. The Ascent, however, were not accommodating. Hours of fruitless diplomacy passed. Insult-exchanging and threats of increasing hostility soon came after. Hostile action would begin only a few hours later into that day. The skrell win, but with heavy losses.
Further mantid fleets are sent to the system. The use of superior cohesion and strategies allows the Skrell to lure out and destroy the mantid fleets in a series of calculated ambushes. Aided by their static defense assets, the skrell continue to fight. Yet, with mounting casualties, a plan is devised to quickly end the conflict. Shortly afterwards, the SDTFs in the region are called to help fight this threat. Backed by the full force of their empire's entire military force in the region, they manage to slowly, painfully drive into the hive. The skrell go through it's outer systems and dense orbital infrastructure. Shortly after, they engage in open battle in orbit above the hive's primary. During the indiscriminate bombardment, incomplete mantle-terraforming equipment on the surface inadvertently activates. This causes the hive's upper crust to rapidly decay into it's now open mantle. Nearly all on-surface lifeforms, including the Gyne are lost. With heavy losses, the skrell celebrate a hard-fought but swift victory with their crews by the end of the year.
As the remaining ships begin to maneuver to leave the system, many large, advanced mantid fleets appear in the system. The automated defense infrastructure of the hive also re-activates. This deals crippling blows to the exposed skrellian fleets. The Ascent vessels move with cold precision to engage. The re-activated defenses and EMP attacks further hinder the mobility of the skrellian fleets. Although most vessels manage to escape, heavy damage is suffered and many others ships are destroyed or disabled.
Further fleets of diverse SDTFs make their way to secure their own territory against the Ascent incursions. This ultimately proves to be effective. They are, yet, pushed back to the inner skrellian worlds by their adversaries. In the following years, a further centralization of the skrellian society is noticed. Many Raskinta take positions of management as the seemingly endless war continues to rage. The Ascent slowly start developing more and more aggressive strategies. They eventually manage to further push them back until Qerr’Vallis is taken in 560 CE. At one point, the Raskinta population had diminished so much that skrell from other castes began to often be tasked with combat duties. Multiple failed skirmishes to retake their old systems happened, as SDTFs were ground into dust. Deep inside their inner territories, shipyards continued to pump new hulls out. Laboratories also worked tirelessly to develop new technologies. The war already seemed lost, yet the fighting continued to centuries.
Suddenly, in 784 CE, there is a shift. The Ascent begin to slip back through devastated systems before disappearing into the hive's territory. The Skrell tentatively re-secure their territory, while ramping-up their military complexes once more. Qerr’Vallis is secured from the Ascent automated orbital defenses no sooner than 800 CE. To their horror, the system has been decimated. Qerr'balak's surface has been effectively stripped away with targeted kinetic bombardments. It was rendered similarly to the destroyed hive. A network of atmospheric nanites processes it's remaining gaseous layer into increasingly lethal concoctions. This prevented even cursory rehabilitation. The other colonized planets in the system are not quite so thoroughly salted. Their surfaces are, however, pretty much dusted via bombardment. For all intents and purposes, Qerr'Vallis has been totally destroyed. Qarr-Morr’kon fleets undertake the grueling task of re-conquering their lost systems and planets. Aided by new, improved ship designs, the skrellian territory is restored to its former glory at around 1000 CE. Systems previously controlled by ascent drones are eventually secured. Historians agree that the end of the war is marked by the re-capture of the system of Kali'ruuk. Yet, many minor skrimishes would continue until the entirety of their territory was free of hostiles.
Further hesitance to press on into the much better defended Mantid homeworlds end up in an informal cease-fire. The skrell estabilish vast defense systems and anchorages on Kali’ruuk and nearby systems. The need for a modern military is also highlighted by this event. As a result, SDTFs start to be continuously modernized and equipped. At this stage, skirmishes from both parties are still frequent, but on a much smaller scale than before. It is not long until both parties lose interest in continued fighting, although defense operations remain at an all-time high. An unusual amount of interesting new technologies also came from the war. The anti-matter FTL shunt, for example, was only possible after thorough examination of Ascent vessels.
In the aftermath of this long, destructive war, the Skrell start the gargantuan task of rebuilding. They would take approximately 500 years to fully recover from the fatal blows dealt to them. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, Qerr’Balak and most of the planets in Qerr’Vallis are still beyond saving. Preventing another war of such a scale becomes a permanent priority of the Qerr'Qerria. Gilkrol-Qarr would remain the capital and administrative hub of the skrellian territory. The capital would later shift to the newly-built Qerr’Kal’ol ring-world, in early 1960 CE.
The consequences of this conflict can still be felt today. The skrell grew up to become far more wary of their neighbors. Contact with Unathi, for example, would only be formalized in 2007. And even then, it would take years until their relations reached cordial levels. Humanity and other xenos would be met shortly after. Despite this, the bitter distaste of the Ascent war still remains, along with the overwhelming desire of some skrell to be alone in the galaxy, focused solely on their perceived inward perfection.
The Epsilon Directorate
The “Epsilon Directorate” has been a well-known organization for the Skrell since its founding in the system of Gi’krall-Xix, shortly after the end of the ‘Age of Expansion’.
In the view of the Directorate’s founders, scientific progress within the empire was stagnating. To them, this was due to the extensive bureaucratic processes and safety procedures required. They also found that petty moralism stood in the way of progress. The Malish of the Directorate placed technological progress above everything else. This was, of course, very upsetting to the Qerr-Qerria, who soon looked for a way to intervene.
After its initial founding, much negotiation happened with the Qerr-Qerria in Qerr-Vallis. Relations between the empire and this newfound faction took a turn for the worse due to their disregard to tradition and procedure. It was something unacceptable in the eyes of the more conservative Qerr-Katish. Although an incursion to the system of Gi’krall-Xix was indeed considered, it was quickly discarded. Skrell did not see violence as an means to an end in this scenario. Instead, they opted to declare an empire-wide embargo to the Directorate, hoping it would allow a for a favorable negotiation to be reached.
However, a favorable resolution ended up never being available to the Qerr-Qerria. Many skrell abandoned the directorate to return to the comfort of their civilization as soon as those measures dropped. Those who remained turned to the Ue-Katish for assistance. Their kind was promised an egalitarian life where they would not be shunned due to their lack of a caste. This allowed the Directorate to subsist off the help of the Ue-Katish pirate flotillas. Soon, the Epsilon Directorate became a largely self-sufficient faction. It also became a welcoming haven to the Ue-Katish who were viewed with distrust elsewhere.
When news of xeno species had reached the Directorate, the quality of life of the orbital installations in Gi’krall-Xix started to improve. So did their manufacturing capabilities, which allowed some few nearby systems to be explored and colonized. With the help of unathi, and further down the line, humanity, the Directorate saw an opportunity to grow even further. Trade agreements were signed with their neighbors. This eventually sated their hunger for materials and experienced work-hands. Today, skrell still make up the majority of work-hands and scientists within the directorate. A sizeable portion is composed of Unathi, Humans and Tajara, however.
Today, the Epsilon Directorate is widely regarded as one of the most multicultural conglomerates of systems in the Galaxy. Although they are still viewed with mistrust by the Qerr-Qerria, they are indeed an irrefutable proof of the success of their own ideals which contrast so deeply to those of the Empire. Much of the research conducted inside the Directorate’s labs is classified. All sorts of rumors exist, often regarding psionic experiments, life-extension procedures, and so on. Sentients who live in the directorate often do not enjoy a very high quality of life. The many hardships faced by the Epsilon Directorate have not allowed them to grow as much as their stagnant kin. As a result, they are 'light-years' behind the technology level of the Oligarchy in all fields. Except, perhaps, psionic-based research, which is often deemed unethical by their peers.
As for their governing method, the Epsilon Directorate bases itself around a technocracy. An individual given the title of 'The Director' is appointed every ten years based on their expertise. Many regards are put on their scientific and technical knowledge. A number of specialists are then selected by The Director to assist with the headaches that running a society entails. They are also charged with handling matters such as food, housing, healthcare and so on. The Director may veto or finance new researches on certain subjects at their will. Since it's founding, only skrell have occupied such a position. Despite this, there is not much that prevents a particularly bright xeno to get appointed Director.