Vega Cluster

The Vega Cluster
Location:	Lyran Veil
Star Systems:	13 Star Systems Core Vega Tsiokantimo Mistral Kona Khazri Khamsin Minuano Harmattan Sirocco Pampero Outer Liesma Whitaker
Organizations:	4 Organizations League of Nations African Union Axis Powers Communist Interstellar
Nations:	2 States Republican Vega Federal Vega

The Vega Cluster is a group of 13 star systems located entirely within the Lyran Veil. The subcluster includes 11 colonized systems and two countries, the Democratic Republic of Vega and the Federal Union of Vega. These states are both non-legacy nations, and claimant successors to the former Commonwealth of Vega. Due to their shared origins, they share strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin, from Arabic وَاقِع (wāqiʕ, “falling”), from the expression النَّسْر الوَاقِع (an-nasr al-wāqiʕ, “falling eagle”). The active participle وَاقِع (wāqiʕ) derives from the verb وَقَعَ (waqaʕa, “fall, drop, tumble, alight, pounce”).

Astrography

The Vega Cluster is situated coreward of the Solar Subcluster, spinward of the Mare Nostrum, trailward of the Indian Arm, and rimward of the Tannhauser Gate.

Translight Strings

There are a total of 13 translight strings connecting the 13 star systems of the Vega Cluster. The Vega system is the subcluster's nexus, with five strings converging there.

Astropolitics

Flag	Common and Formal Names	Alignment	Settled Worlds	Population	Capital System	Capital Planet	Capital City	Classification
	DR Vega – Democratic Republic of Vega	Communist Interstellar			Khazri Vega (Disputed)	Vega (Disputed)		Regional Power
	FU Vega – Federal Union of Vega	Axis Powers			Mistral Vega (Disputed)	Vega ( Disputed)		Regional Power

History

The Divide

Mandate for the Vega Colonies

The colonization of the Vega Cluster began in 2083 with the establishment of the Mandate for the Vega Colonies, the first extrasolar colony founded by nongovernmental interests. By 2130, the Commonwealth of Vega surpassed the United Centauri Republic economically, becoming the largest economy in the Local Supercluster.

The Recovery

Lyra Campaigns

In 2184, mankind's first interstellar war was declared by the Commonwealth of Vega on the Altair Colonial Administration - marking the beginning of what is now known as the Lyra Campaigns. In 2187, the Lyra Campaigns were brought to an end by the ratification of the Vega Accords.

The Cold War

First Solar War

In 2208, the Commonwealth of Vega declared war on the United Centauri Republic, beginning the First Solar War. This conflict would last for five years, resulting in an armistice recognizing Vegan territorial gains and sovereignty.

Second Solar War

In 2229, what would become known as the Second Solar War began with an invasion of the Sirius Federation by the Commonwealth of Vega. Joining Vega were the Republic of Vesta, United States of Juno, Silvanus Colonial Republic, Barrosa Colonial Republic, Jarandi Colonial Republic, and Kassar-Antrali Colonial Republic. Joining Sirius were the nascent Solar Treaty Organization members of the United Centauri Republic and United Provinces of Tau Ceti, as well as the Apollo Colonial Republic. Although the war initially went in Vega's favor, meeting a high-water mark in 2231 with the destruction of the bulk of the United Centauri Republic fleet in the Battle of Cygnus, the war would be brought to a decisive end that same year by the intervention of the German Reich.

Territories of Vega occupied by the German Reich shortly thereafter, in 2233, split to form the Axis Powers backed Federal Union of Vega. The remainder formed the Republic of Vega (Later, Democratic Republic of Vega).

First Vega War

Following the formal entry of the Federal Union of Vega into the Axis Powers in 2258, it began a sanctioned invasion of the Republic of Vega in 2259. This conflict would become known as the First Vega War. Although neither the German Reich nor Union of Soviet Socialist Republics formally joined the war, their fleets would meet in 2262 in the Fleet Action Off Vega - possibly the largest naval battle in human history. Soon thereafter, in 2263, the First Vega War would be brought to a formal end in a stalemate. The following year, the Democratic Republic of Vega would formally join the Communist Interstellar.

Contemporary Issues

The Vega Crisis

The ongoing Cold War between the Axis Powers-backed Federal Union of Vega and the Communist Interstellar-backed Democratic Republic of Vega is the central astropolitical issue dominating the Vega Cluster and the larger Lyran Veil. This Cold War has been identified as of one of nine crisis points in the Orion Arm with the potential to spark a war between superpowers. As a part of the nearly twenty-year military build-up by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, German Reich, and others, tens of thousands of pre-positioned modules have been deployed to the Vega system - along with tens of thousands of artillery pieces.

A report published by the Douglas-Collbohm Corporation warns that the outbreak of a conventional war on Vega would result in over ten million casualties within the first hour of the conflict, even with limited nuclear, chemical, and orbital strikes.

References

1. "Red Army Deploys Pre-Positioned Modules To Vega". Champlain Group.
2. "Fleet Action Off Vega". Champlain Group.
3. "Report: First Hour Of COMINTERN-Axis War On Vega Would Produce Over Ten Million Causalities". Douglas-Collbohm Corporation.