A Timeline of Mardka

Hello again everyone. Nothing like a good old fashioned Species Contest to get Bot's creative juices flowing! Anyway, I read Xzebo's entry into the contest and laughed a little bit. I think that we are on the same brain wavelength or something. We must be related. While the Tnne-Jin are a sub-species of the Tno-Jin, the Ushkayin are a descendant of another species in the Mardka/Ushun system. So, no I didn't change the name of the planet the Ushkayin are from, this is just a little history lesson. So... STORY TIME!!! Grab a juice box, sit down (criss-cross applesauce) and enjoy. Let's start with a little background.

Zero Event is the day that the Ushkayin believed that their plight began and all time is based off of this event. It started approximately 362 Ushkayin years ago. For the sack of continuity and peoples brain functions, we will stick with Ushkayin years in this story, but you can think of it as Earth years if you wish. If you really want me to, contact me and I will convert the time to Earth years just for you. Anyway!!! Now for the actual story, if you need a new juice box please get it now and return to your square on the carpet.

Zero Event: (Mardka is the only inhabited planet in the Mardka/Ushun system at this time.) Mardkayin doctors begin to see a sharp rise in respiratory infections amongst the population. Speculation, starts as to the origin of the infection. Population of Mardka is approximately 8.5 billion.

37 YPZE (Years Past Zero Event): A group of Mardkayin scientists and doctors have discovered the cause of the respiratory infections. An airborne spore produced by various plant life on Mardka is present in every victim of the respiratory infection.

41 YPZE: The spore that caused the respiratory infection has claimed more than half the population of Mardka. Out of the remaining 4.2 billion alive, only .1% are not infected and determined to be immune. The remaining 99.9% of the population have a respirator installed. This new technology cures the infection and allows for a near normal life.

56 YPZE: Doctors and scientists have discovered that the spore which is causing the respiratory infection affects the Mardkayin physiology on the genetic level. It is also determined that the spore is weakening the immune system of all that are infected. With no real cure in sight and the true aggressive nature of the spore found, the world government begins funding any group that shows promise in faster than light travel. This is due to the recent discovery of a habitable planet in the system that scientists have named Ushun.

59 YPZE: Mass production of FTL ships begins. A huge workforce is used to produce the ships and 20 ships are online and ready for transport at the end of the year. Each trip takes 1 Mardkayin day (28.2 Earth Hours) and each ship can carry 500,000 Mardkayins. The migration takes five and a half years. Once established on Ushun the 4.2 billion Mardkayins change their species name to Ushkayin in appreciation of their new home. The 4.2 million Mardkayin (the unaffected) stay behind on Mardka to set up commerce with Ushun and to continue pursuing a cure for the spore.

109 YPZE: Trade and communication between Mardka and Ushun continue to be solid and the two planets have a good relationship. 95% of the crews on the cargo ships are Ushkayin. Mardkayins are starting to show signs of physical weakness and psychological problems (paranoia) when leaving Mardka for extended periods of time.

154 YPZE: Research by Mardkayin scientists into the spores has led to a grave discovery. The damage on the genetic level to the Ushkayin cannot be cured and is estimated to take thousands of years to recover from as the genetic disease needs to be "evolved" out of the them.

164 YPZE: Mardkayin scientists find that their own population is evolving rapidly. Their immune systems are becoming stronger at an inexplicably fast rate and new generations show more strength and agility than each previous generation. Doctors also predict that the life expectancy for each new generation doubles that of the previous generation. Unfortunately, Mardkayin and Ushkayin scientist discover that the same spore that caused the weakened immune system has somehow changed and is causing the accelerated evolution of the Mardkayins. It is determined by both planets that if Ushkayins return to Mardka it will be fatal.

270 YPZE: After only eight generations, the Mardkayin evolution has reached a pinnacle. Mardkayins are now expected to live for several millennium. They are physically totally different then the Ushkayin, whom they share a common ancestry with. They are also psychologically superior on a vast scale. Unfortunately, this has come at a great cost. Mardkayins have developed a symbiotic relationship with the plant life of Mardka and therefore cannot leave the planet without the aid of bio-engineered environmentally sealed suits. These suits only allow for a few days time before the Mardkayins start to feel nausea and paranoia.

Present day: Relations between Ushun and Mardka are as strong as ever. Ushun operates and maintains the fleet of cargo runners necessary for the survival of the Ushkayin population. The Mardkayin take care of sterilization, packaging and other logistics of the vast shipping routes. All of which is done without financial compensation of any kind.

Well, hope you enjoyed this. Please dispose of empty juice boxes in the trash receptacles.

I will be doing another post on information very soon!

Bot out.