XiC: Cascade

The Cascade, much like the Llavalites arrived prior to the formation of Xi. It’s presence appeared as a disruption in space-time, visible as bright blue-white energies emanating from numerous, random and arbitrary points of origin. Cascade often causes power surge, a flux of radiation that has been known to disrupt signal sensors and electronics aswell as computer systems, causing numerous malfunctions wherever it appears. What these energies actually is or what they represent remains a mystery to must of Xi, the existence of Novus not yet unveiled as the primary mover behind this power.

Cascade is the Lavalite is Xi’s ancient adversary, aswell as their star mistress and pilot. A highly secretive and technologically advanced space-faring species, they’ve studied it and ridden its flow since they first charted course out into space. However while a nomadic race may find the Cascade a capricious thief in the night, a highly organized and powerful civilization capable of wielding an enormous interstellar empire has reason to be weary. The countless trade routes, ports and utilization of Graviton Beam Arrays were progressively put at risk from the unpredictable phenomenon of the Cascade, its endless glitching of space/time leading to disaster time and time again. For hundreds of years the Lavalites were at war with the Xi, but the Xi were able to withstand the Lavalite invasion long enough to create a formidable counter-force. But the Xi had never conquered the Cascade during Sandra’s time, even her vaunted secret Embryo Trigger project had a limited suppression on its effect. By the time the Xi ceased to be united in one unified and highly advanced culture and split up, the Lavalite’s war against Xi turned advantageous in their favor with the Cascade storming throughout the galaxy, transferring seedships to every corner and turn.

Xi throughout its reign was able to colonize many system, but were constantly forced to seek shelter in the Core Worlds due to the disruption of the Cascade on their routes. To overcome this disadvantage, Xi scientists studied the Cascade extensively, and developed Warp Station drive, a breakthrough technology for creating artificial space and pocket dimensionality to compensate for their lack of a regulator towards the Cascade’s spacial ruptures. Warp Stations, effectively created pockets of space that could be accessed by multiple points through radiation studied via the Cascade- this space could be the size of a closet or elevator, up to generating an entire manor or office within. The specialty of this method meant one entering these private dimensions from one location, could leave into another location lightyears away within moments.

The Xi’s use of Warp Station transport and other advanced scientific methods were able to effectively overcome the Cascade’s unpredictability, and became their primary method for travel and colonization in the Galaxy, although the High Fleet and its armadas were still needed for military enforcement upon mass populations.

While Xi was always able to hold back the Llavalite's technological advances, the Lavalite’s were never able to hold up to Xi’s technological advances. Over time Xi made technological advancements in weaponry, science and spaceflight, as well as the ability to colonize and trade throughout the galaxy, while the Llavalites remained a technologically stagnant and warring race. After the formation of XU, the Llavalite’s were forced out of the XU due to a coup d'etat of the Xi's Merchant's Guild-Llavalite Smuggler Network connective operations, and an incarceration of their Seeress class was thrown into stasis. However, the Cascade still remained at large, its disruptive spacial storms continuing to disrupt XU's systems and wreaking havoc on XU's colonies as well, requiring the need for Llavalite mechanics and scientists to be able to deal with its spread. Out of necessity, this exile was revoked, apologies delivered and a series of new treaties signed between Lavalite diplomats and XU. Mutual work on containing the Cascade’s spread and activity has been well underway.