Amalgaverse Profile: Sentinels Alliance and the Robotech Expeditionary Force (REF)

Sphere of Influence: Ursa Major Star Cluster

Government: Parliamentary, headed by the Plenipotentiary Council

Home World: Tirol

Tirol is a moon of Jupiter-like Fantoma, the fourth planet in the Valivarre system. It is phase-locked with Fantoma, meaning the same side is toward Fantoma at all times. Days are about 12 hours long. The headquarters of the Sentinels Alliance is located here, in the city of Tiresia. In orbit rests the Robotech Super Factory, which functions as both a primary shipyard and the REF Fleet Headquarters. There is a 75% chance that the SDF-3 will be here as well at any given time.

Population: The population here has exploded since liberation from the Invid. The remnants of the original REF, micronized Zentraedi, Praxians and Tirolians have more than doubled the human population, to about 600 million natives. There are also a transient population of traders, military personnel and alien tourists and visitors that account for another half million people at any given time.

The Government of the Sentinels Alliance is parliamentary in nature, with each charter world and its colonies electing several representatives to serve on the Plenipotentiary Council. Each planet, in addition, has it’s own president and planetary ruling council. The difference between planetary governments and the overarching alliance is very similar to the difference between the Federal government and the State governments in the earlier history of the U.S. (quite a bit more “state” power than today).

The Charter Planets of the Sentinels Alliance include Tirol, Praxis, Carbonara, Spheris, Garuda, Peryton, and Haydon IV. All other planets (such as Fantoma) are colonies that fall under the umbrella of one of those charter members. It should be noted that there is a permanent, no-pressure invitation for Earth and the U.N. Spacy to join the Alliance. To date the U.N. Spacy has refused, but the two governments have a close relationship and would likely aid one another in dire straits.

Species who are part of the Sentinels Alliance include earthlings, tirolians, zentraedi and praxians (who are all genetically the same and have defined by Sentinels scientists as the sub-species classifications of homo sapiens, but differ slightly in things like hair and skin color and some slight bone and anatomical differences, much like breeds of dogs), as well as Carbonarans, Perytonians, Spheresians, and Vulpines (or Garudians).

Special Note: Optera is also a part of the Sentinels Alliance. However, it is a special case. The Flower of Life has been reintroduced and is growing well. In addition, Invid in their original pre-transmutation form have been reintroduced using stored frozen samples found in Zor’s library in Tiresia. The hope is to restore the species and it’s native environment, an intergalactic attempt at atonement. A fleet of Zentraedi-only cruisers prevent ANYONE from landing on the planet’s surface to steal the valuable flowers of life or interfere with the development of the Invid. The Zentraedi volunteered for this duty in massive numbers, and the Opteran Defense Fleet is a high badge of honor that the Zentraedi relish greatly. Anyone attempting to break the blockade of the planet is met with horrifically deadly force, which the Invid under the Regis and new Regent discovered when they tried to reclaim the planet. The Regis and new Regent wrongly believe that these invid are being raised to be a slave race who will be used to destroy them. They will not hear any other possibility. They reason that if the intentions were as pure as the Sentinels Alliance claims, they would recognize the right of the Regis and Regent to return with the Invid species and repopulate the planet. The Sentinels strongly disagree, pointing out that the Regis and original Regent mutated their race into the voracious warrior horde it is today. If they truly want the Invid to return to their natural state, best to leave Optera alone.

This adds another bone of contention between the REF and the Invid, who didn’t need any other reasons to hate one another.

Notes on Ships and Mecha:

The ships and mecha of the REF, for the most part, are unchanged. The only major difference is that there is now an SDF in charge of all 8 REF Fleets (each fleet is named for a planet in the Sol System, minus Earth). A factory identical to the Robotech Superfactory found in “Return of the Masters” orbits Tirol as REF Military Headquarters and as the largest shipyard in known space. Two other Robotech Factories were recovered as well, one orbits Carbonara and the other orbits Praxis. The original Alpha and Beta fighter designs have been relegated to planetary militia duty. The frontline fighters for the REF include the Super Alpha (located as well in Return of the Masters, which have the cloaking technology of the shadow alpha), which can and does link up with Shadow Beta (identical to the original Beta fighter, but with shadow tech) and the Vindicator.

A large number of original series alpha fighters are in the hands of independents, scavenged from earth after or during the Invid occupation. They can be found in the hands of pirates, personal defense fleets and other groups across human space. The only fighter more popular and more likely to be found in the hands of independents are first generation Super Veritechs.

There has been no change in the cyclones.

The reason for the lack of major changes in the REF can be explained by the history of the REF and Sentinels Alliance, detailed below.

The history of the REF and Sentinels Alliance in the Amalgaverse is very similar to that of the “official” Robotech history….to a point.

The REF did defold over Tirol to find the Invid Regent had occupied the planet. They liberated it and joined forces with the Sentinels races to push the Invid back from their control over the tattered remnants of the Robotech Masters’ Empire. After Breetai and the Regent killed one another in one-on-one combat over Optera (as detailed in the novels), T.R. Edwards attempted a takeover by using the Regent’s thought amplification device in the central hive. There was a short revolution in which Edwards was overthrown.

Shortly thereafter the bulk of the REF, which was, with the help of the Carbonarans, rebuilding trade between the Sentinels races, was assembled to free Earth. 80% of all REF forces folded in several fleets. The central mass (about 30% of the fleet) was folded with the SDF-3, which never appeared in space. The loss of about 1/3 of the entire fleet is the reason the dreaded Neutron-S plan was initiated. However, the Hunters had NO INTENTION of using them to bomb earth in large numbers. The commander of the SDF-4, Thunderer, did that on his own, using Hunter’s name to insure crew cooperation. However, the issue has been hotly debated for decades.

The REF fleet that folded over earth was mostly destroyed by the Invid Regis when she transmutated her entire half of the Invid species and fled the planet, after consuming all of the planet’s protoculture stores and taking most of the Invid Flower of Life.

The Sentinels, who had little in the way of ships or a military after the war, struggled on, achieving trade networks that helped the planet’s prosper. In addition, the Robotech Factories were already in place, but without a protoculture matrix, had fallen into disrepair. Most ships were powered by the “superpeat” (element 115) anti-matter generating fuel found on Carbonara . From 2028 to 2102 there was no sign of the SDF-3. Those REF forces left behind (about 20%) were on highly restricted duty, and several capital ships had been converted to the Carbonarans, bulky superpeat-using power supplies.

Then, in 2102, the SDF-3 and it’s accompanying fleet (along with the original fold engines of the SDF-1) returned from a pocket dimension in which very little time had passed. The Zor clone Rem was with them, and brought back the secrets of protoculture and of breeding the flower of life. The Sentinels Alliance was overjoyed at their heroes’ return. The REF, SDF-3 and the brave humans from Earth who sacrificed themselves to save aliens they’d never met, then met a mysterious fate when they went to save their own world, was a common, poignant bedtime story told to children across the Ursa Major star cluster. The REF reserves, which had never flagged in their duties of patrolling Sentinel space, aided in this, as did the spread of the Zentraedi and their admiration for humans from earth (remember, those who went with the REF to Tirol were almost all extreme Earth loyalists, most of whom were from the original fleet headed by Breetai and Exedore).

The REF returned to find the Sentinels Alliance had stabilized, and that REF humans, Zentraedi, Tirolians, and Praxians had been breeding like bunnies (particularly the Praxians and Zentraedi, who for centuries did not breed and had restricted sex drives, with their similar warrior attitudes and newfound libidos, Zentraedi/praxian unions are common since Zentraedi males outnumber females 4 to 1…such marriages often result in a LOT of children, as neither species had the chance to learn about family planning or birth control before the bulk of the REF disappeared).

All the Sentinels Alliance needed was a strong military and the secrets of protoculture and it would blossom.

Blossom it has. The three factories churn out a mind-boggling number of ships and vessels, which were needed since the return of the REF and protoculture also heralded the Return of the Invid Regis, and her new mate and war-commander, the Regent (a new regent, chosen and evolved from a loyal Stage 5 Invid).

It should be noted that even though the return of the REF has meant resumed hostilities with the Invid, the vast majority of the average citizens of the Sentinels Alliance sees the return of the REF to be the best thing that has happened since the liberation. The day marking the SDF-3’s return over Haydon IV is a holiday on all major planets.

The REF is now swelled with all the sentinel species eager to join up. The Destroids, Super Alphas, Vindicators and Betas are all fitted to be able to house most sentinels species, except the Carbonarans, who can, due to their size, only operate destroids and Betafighters, as well as the new Zentraedi Mecha. This is fine for the Carbonarans, who as a species prefer to serve on large ships and make excellent starship crewmen. Nearly 50% of the REF’s engineering division are Carbonarans. There is also a small, but growing REF metaphysics division, due to the fact that both Haydon IV and Peryton have ley line networks and some knowledge of magic. Humans left behind on Pertyon when the REF left were surprised to learn that their children learned magic as easily as the Pertyonian children. In addition, the SDF-3 returned with several humans (including Admiral Rick Hunter) who had been taught by Garudans to tap into the “hin” a cosmic consciousness. The metaphysics division has blended these two sciences, which has led to an extremely small, potent, secret force of magic and psionic-using humans (use Rifts mystic occ abilities, but with the REF military specialist skill package. Use the Perytonian Wizard table).

Relations with other Governments:

U.N. Spacy: The Sentinels Alliance has a good relationship with UN Spacy. The two have strong diplomatic ties, a robust trade, and a permanent non-aggression pact. Members of the Sentinel races and the Zentraedi are frequent tourists to earth. The U.N. Spacy has been offered membership into the Alliance, but has refused, preferring to remain independent. In addition, the UN Spacy has outlawed the use of protoculture among its citizens, seeing the substance as the root cause of the near destruction of mankind. Protoculture and the Flower of Life are the life’s blood of the Sentinels Alliance, however, and they will not relinquish its use anytime soon. Also, about 25 percent of the humans in the UN Spacy believe it was the intention of the REF to obliterate earth and all of humanity as opposed to letting the Invid win.

The Southern Cross: The Sentinels Alliance and the Southern Cross have a cool, aloof relationship. The Southern Cross is first of all, very xenophobic in nature. Second, it is the only other major human power to know the secret of the protoculture matrix and the flower of life. They see the Sentinels Alliance as an alien conglomerate who use the REF as a human “face”. They also see them as competition. The Southern Cross would like to outsource protoculture (while keeping the secrets of the matrix for themselves) as a commodity. They do this already with the Exile Colonies of the Hyades Cluster, and smugglers in the UN Space and Sentinels Space (which keeps a tight control on protoculture supplies). This, of course, instigates the Invid. However, supplied with ample protoculture and a world teeming with the flower of life, the Southern Cross was able to cloak protoculture emissions using Zor Prime’s knowledge, long enough to be prepared for the Invid.

The Southern Cross is also a military dictatorship (albeit benign for the most part) and don’t want the Sentinel Alliance or UN Spacy ideals of true democracy or Republic interfering with their rule. The Sentinel races, particularly the Carbonarans and older Tirolians, also discourage relations, seeing in the Southern Cross an eerie similarity to the origins of the Robotech Masters.

ATPDS: The REF and the ATPDS have good, though distant relations. Like UN Spacy, the ATPDS has outlawed protoculture, not wanting to bring the Invid around, and not really needing it anyway. The Terrans, naturally, feel a closer kinship with the REF than other member races, who are indifferent. Trade, mainly due to distance, is limited, but brisk in non-protoculture goods. Anti-gravity globes from Praxis, superpeat from Carbonara and laser technology from Spheresia are major exports to the ATPDS (as well as other governments). The ATPDS does a huge trade with other species, including the Sentinels Alliance, in computer technology, robot technology and non-protoculture FTL drives (used by many civilian vessels in Sentinels space).

The Robotech Masters: The Masters know better than to show their faces anywhere near Sentinels’ territory. The Sentinels races, with the exception of the earth-born REF humans, despise the Masters more than they do the Invid. They see the Masters as intentionally evil and destructive and cold. Let them and their decrepit fortresses stay in deep space and rot. The Sentinels are loathe to waste manpower even hunting these wretched beings down. They figure the Invid will do the job for them eventually, which they see as poetic justice and know the Masters fear the REF enough not to come back. Good riddance!

The Invid: The Sentinels are of two minds of the Invid. First, the Tirolians have, on several occasions, broadcast an unconditional apology for the actions of the Robotech Masters. However, they are not going to stop using the most efficient power source in the galaxy because the Invid think they should be its sole users. They’ve even gone as far as rehabilitating Optera. But they believe the Invid have become the very thing they fought, murderous and monstrous as the Robotech Masters. But they do NOT despise the Invid like they do the Masters. Most educated people in the Alliance, despite the horrors of the Invid occupation, see the the Invid as victims of the Robotech Masters. They will defend themselves against any and all Invid incursions with extreme prejudice, but they do not attempt to hunt the Invid down nor do they “hate” them. Although there are some who were born in the REF during the first war or the occupation of earth who do not share these sympathetic sentiments. Due to their use of protoculture, the Sentinels, sadly, are always at a constant low-level of warfare with the Invid, who have returned to the tactics they used against the Robotech Masters early on; hit and fade spacefold attacks, stripping colonies, planets and ships who fall to them of all protoculture and flowers of life before moving on. It is believed the Invid have some new home in deep space which must allow to some degree, for the production of the flower of life, but no one is looking for it.

The CCW: Only rudimentary contact has been made with the CCW via a conference a couple years ago on Phase World. The REF is the only group in Human Space capable of going to Phaseworld at will due to their spacefold technology (the Southern Cross spacefold tech is much more limited and can only fold within a few light years or risk getting horribly lost). They like what they see very much, but want to wait things out. The discovery of humans at the core of the CCW has set scientists on Tirol abuzz. They believe within the CCW lies perhaps the secrets to the true origins of the human race, which obviously are not from Earth, Tirol or Praxis originally, all planets which have human civilizations. The raw power and might of the CCW makes them wary and even folding to Center is a great strain and major undertaking, so contact has been tentative, but encouraging. The CCW is a bit miffed that this little minor collective has a means of travel that puts their incredible FTL systems to shame and are eager for more contact (and of discovering the secrets of space fold drives).

The Transgalactic Empire: Very little contact has been made with the TGE. Right now, feelings are mutual. It’s obviously some sort of military expansionist regime that has “issues” with the CCW, but the diplomatic contacts have been cordial enough, and nobody wants to jump to any conclusions.

The UWW: Beyond the Center Conference, no real contact has been made. They are a mystery to the Sentinels Alliance, though the Perytonians are EAGER to learn more and have sent their own detachment of mages to Center to find out all they can.

The Splugorth: The Splugorth were not invited to the Center Conference, and the Sentinels got an EARFUL about them from both the TGE, CCW AND the UWW. The thinking of the Sentinels is that if half of what they say is true, and if two governments who obviously dislike each other as much as the TGE and CCW both agree that the Splugorth are some of the most wretched beings in the galaxy, then there must be something to it. There is to be no contact, and any encounters with any vessels or beings fitting the profiles of those provided by the CCW at the Center Conference are to be reported immediately.

Decahydron Compact and the Exile Colonies: No official contact, but some light trade. The Sentinels Alliance believes the ATPDS sees this group of planets as a rogue state of the ATPDS and don’t want to unduly antagonize the ATPDS. They provide non-military trade with the colonies, but have covertly cleared such deals with the ATPDS. If known, this would infuriate the Decahydron Compact.

Gorushan Empire: No official contact. They only know what they’ve learned from the ATPDS and Decahydron Compact, none of which is good. They’ve lost a few trading vessels in Exile Space which could be due to Gorushan attacks.

Manhunters: It’s obvious that these monstrous creations are out to destroy or enslave all human life and all races who ally themselves (i.e. the Sentinels races) with humans. They have brutally attacked REF assets traveling in the Hyades Cluster. There is 100% agreement with both the ATPDS and UN Spacy and even the Southern Cross that this group of robots is the enemy of all mankind. Destroy on sight. (Fortunately, Manhunters are only found in the Hyades Cluster at this time so it’s not a major issue to the Sentinels Alliance).