Second Doctrinal Conflict

The Second Doctrinal Conflict or Second Doctrinal War a major galactic war that involves three major factions and nearly two dozen races. It comprises the events of Star Control II and synthesises the Doctrinal Conflict and the Ur-Quan Slave War.

Background

The Doctrinal Conflict is an ideological rivalry between the two Ur-Quan sister species. The military and foreign policies of both subspecies are aggressive and expansionist, but they do not agree on how to treat conquered races. The Ur-Quan Kzer-Za follow the Path of Now and Forever to establish an organized imperial structure in which subdued worlds become either subservient Battle Thralls or isolated Fallow Slaves. The Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah follow the Eternal Doctrine to exterminate all races. The First Doctrinal War was waged quite some time ago, with the Kzer-Za emerging victorious after finding the [{Sa-Matra]], a Precursor ship.

The Ur-Quan Slave War was Kzer-Za invasion of our corner of the galaxy from AD 2098 to 2134. As the Kzer-Za subjugated worlds and built up the Hierarchy, the Chenjesu and Mmrnmhrm formed the Alliance of Free Stars to counter the threat. The Alliance grew along with the Hierarchy, but was eventually defeated in detail. For twenty years the Kzer-Za ruled our corner of the galaxy, with their imperial Battle Thralls enforcing order over the Fallow Slaves.

The War

A Human scientific mission to the Vela system lost contact with Earth and the Alliance during the war. Isolated, they constructed a Precursor ship of their own and returned on 17 February 2155 to Earth, under the leadership of [{The Captain]] and hoping to assist the war effort. After learning the fate of the old Alliance, The Captain and Starbase Commander Hayes found the New Alliance of Free Stars to finally defeat the Ur-Quan. As the Captain is building the Alliance, he learns of the Kzer-Za and of their invasion of Kzer-Za space.

The details of the war are difficult to piece together. It is possible that the crew of the Flagship endured some sort of cerebral trauma because thousands of people claiming to be The Captain each have varying accounts of the war.

Events of 2155

At the onset, the Hierarchy consisted of the Kzer-Za, seven Battle Thralls and four slave shielded worlds, the Humans were the only New Alliance member and the Kohr-Ah were a superpower. The Arilou, Druuge, Orz, Pkunk and Zoq-Fot-Pik were all non-aligned while the Supox and Utwig had a bilateral alliance.

The Flagship defeats the last remnants of Earthguard: a disabled Ilrwath Avenger that was passing the Sol system, and a frightened Spathi captain named Fwiffo who can be persuaded to defect to the Alliance, which in turn helps convince the Spathi government to follow suit.

The Zoq-Fot-Pik were already on the edge of Ur-Quan space, prompting them to initiate contact with the Earth Starbase, which was already becoming the de facto capital of the New Alliance.

The Ilwrath-Pkunk War involves Earth's two nearest neighbours, the aggressive Ilrwath Battle Thralls and the playful Pkunk. The Pkunk are losing badly and tell the Captain that they want to migrate back to Yehat space to rejoin their sister race. The Yehat were an Alliance member who defected to the Hierarchy in the later stages of the Slave War by withdrawing from a battle against the Kzer-Za and stranding the Shofixti. Many of the Starship Clans are deeply ashamed of the this, compounded by the fearless sacrifice by the Shofixti, who caused a mini supernova in their sun that destroyed all of the Kzer-Za ships and the Shofixti race. Their neighbours, the VUX and Mycon are both powerful Battle Thralls in a relatively quiet sector of space. The Druuge are a powerful merchant state that has been doing underhanded business with the Burvixese and Utwig. The Thraddash have been ordered by the Kzer-Za to hold position, while the Umgah have been pulling major pranks despite dealing with a dangerous Talking Pet.

Another major issue facing this region of space is the increasing contact with mysterious and powerful red probes that "...come in peace" and then obliterate all ships in their path.

Events of 2159

By most accounts, the Kohr-Ah defeat the Kzer-Za in 2159 and begin the Death March to exterminate all life.

If the Captain has been a smooth diplomat and intelligent strategist, the Alliance consists of a dozen worlds and the Flagship is a powerful warship; a Pkunk has become Queen of the Yehat, who are again supporting the Alliance; the Shofixti have procreated from the brink of extinction, the Syreen have crippled the Mycon fleet and their Starbase Captain Talana has become the romantic interest of the Captain; the "Dilwrath" and Thraddash annihilated each other in a brief war; the Supox and Utwig have attacked both Ur-Quan races; and the Druuge continue their underhanded business.

If the Captain

Belligerents

Ur-Quan Hierarchy

Led by the Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah, the Hierarchy is an interstellar empire that follows the Path of Now and Forever to conquer and enslave all races.

Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah

The Kohr-Ah are a sister race of the Kzer-Za and follow the Eternal Doctrine to exterminate all sentient races.

New Alliance of Free Stars

Led by the Humans and following in the footsteps of the original Alliance of Free Stars, the New Alliance is a guerrilla army comprising many of the races that the Kzer-Za and Kohr-Ah seek to enslave or exterminate.