Gelt Incursion of 429 IE

Gelt Incursion of 429 IE

Date: 429-430 Interstellar Era
Belligerents:

• Gelt Warrior Caste (led by the Laral family)

• vs. Compact colonies of Farigha, Gilead, and Amargosa

Outcome:

• Farigha destroyed; limited survivor extraction

• Gilead captured and renamed Hanar

• Amargosa occupied until 430 IE

The Gelt Incursion of 429 IE was a covert, three-pronged invasion by Gelt forces under the command of the Laral family, chiefly Laral Umish and Laral Jorl. Acting without sanction from the Sovereign, the Warrior Caste launched a rogue campaign against the human colonies of Farigha, Gilead, and Amargosa.

The incursion began with the destruction of Farigha, a terraforming colony orbiting 2 Mainzer. Gelt forces deployed clean fusion devices to obliterate the planet’s infrastructure, killing nearly the entire population. The event was initially treated as a tragic but isolated catastrophe until later investigation and the survival of John Farno revealed it to be the first move in a larger invasion. This retroactively placed Farigha at the opening of the Incursion.

On Gilead, the Gelt used similar tactics—a clean fusion device destroyed the only human city. The colony was then renamed Hanar, and power was eventually seized from the Larals by Tishla, the widow of noble Kai. Tishla later brokered peace with human survivors and established a joint colony, pushing back the remaining Gelt extremists and turning Hanar into a symbol of reconciliation.

Amargosa suffered a longer occupation. After swift strikes, including a fusion blast on Lansdorp, Gelt forces under Laral Umish established control. The planet remained occupied into 430 IE, until it was liberated by a coordinated effort involving Compact resistance cells, defected Gelt settlers, sapient lycanths, and military units from Hanar and the Compact Navy. Laral Umish was killed in a bombing during the occupation.

Legacy and Impact:

• First formal act of aggression between the Compact and the Realm

• Destroyed any prospect for peaceful first contact between the two powers

• Sparked internal political crisis in the Realm, leading to a succession struggle

• Led to the Compact’s first use of warp drive in response (see CNV Alcubierre)

• Gave rise to Hanar as an emerging power and ongoing Compact–Realm diplomacy efforts