The Wars of the Blade

The Quaznian Empire was already an ancient order when the Cassads made first contact during the latter’s expansionist sweep across the galaxy. Long in decline, the Quaznians experienced a period of resurgence under the rule of Emperor Pjrul. During his more than 500 year reign, Pjrul revitalized the military, crushed peripheral tendencies in his quest to increase the power of the throne, and sent the dreaded Gray Fleets to add new worlds to his domain. The Quaznians’ Galactic Northwest thrust was met by an equally dynamic Cassad push from the opposite direction and both sides came to blows. The Cassads suffered heavy initial losses in the ensuing war. The capitol ships of the Gray Fleet with their trans-phase batteries proved superior to any vessels the Cassads could bring to bear. It was only when the Cassads were able to outfit their ships with tran-phase weapons supplied to them by traitorous Quaznians that they managed to fight the empire to a stand still. Both sides eventually agreed to a cease fire that would last until the turbulent period following the death of Pjrul. The Time of Chaos. That was the name given to the orgy of violence that consumed the empire. The war would last twenty years, drawing other powers into its seething vortex of slaughter, greatly weakening the Cassads from the inside and out. Historians would call this conflict the War of the Blade, despite it being fought with an array of energy based weapons. However, it was the use of blades that sparked this war. The hatred that sustained it was bitingly sharp and cut as deep as any well honed knife.