Enduring

Enduring is an abandoned and partially ruined ancient First Ones city located west of the megaplex of Automatrix on the planet Aballon in the Pact Worlds system. Enduring was the site of a devastating attack by the Veskarium during its invasion of the system in in the first century following the end of the Gap, and the city still emits regular plumes of strange gases from those locations.

History

Following the dissemination of Drift engine technology by the goddess Triune throughout the galaxy in 3 AG, the Veskarium equipped its starships with faster-than-light capabilities and launched an attack on the Pact Worlds system in 36 AG. During this war, a Veskarium starship eventually entered the orbit of Aballon in 39 AG and detected an energy surge emanating from Enduring. Not realizing that this was a regular, innocuous event, they assumed that something within the city was about to attack them and launched an orbital bombardment that reduced a large portion of Enduring to molten slag. In response, the anacites launched an immediate counter-attack with a fleet of military and civilian ships that overwhelmed the foreign force, causing the Veskarium ship to crash in the same city it had just devastated. This series of engagements is believed by many to be a major reason why the otherwise self-contained Aballonians signed the Absalom Pact in 41 AG.

Enduring today

The Machine Court recently reopened Enduring to exploration by non-natives, but for some reason insists that every such expedition include at least one official from the Veskarium. The reason for this provision has yet to be explained, though it is clear that the Vesk are interested in whatever remains of their downed warship.