"Must Knows" For New Yamataian Soldiers

Question: Besides power armor piloting and all of that stuff, what are some ships/people a new soldier should already know of?

Answer: Yamataians will know of the Emperor/Empress (Empress Himiko I) and the Ketsurui Clan.

When to salute and when to bow: Rendering Courtesy (Salutes and Bowing).

Also, remember to follow the chain of command.

Here are the general knowledge about the Yamatai Star Empire that your character would know from being a soldier and a citizen. Young Nekovalkyrja probably directed downloaded basic history lessons directly into their brains as a part of their training process. Other characters would have been taught this knowledge during their childhood upbringing.

How man originally populated this sector of space is shrouded in mystery. Historians believe that an Empire of evil alien overlords brought us here as slaves, and that they were then overthrown in a bloody slave rebellion several centuries ago. From the wreckage of this alien civilization, man was able to salvage advanced technology such as faster-than-light engines, aether power generators, and so on.

Armed with these technologies, man settled in several solar systems. Nepleslia emerged as the center of human civilization, due to various factors such as climate conditions, the concentration of “overlord” technology, etc. Man slowly began calling himself “Nepleslian”. English, also known as “Nepleslian” and “Trade”, quickly became the language of choice in commerce and trade.

Man being what he is, various factions quickly formed. They bickered and fought. Most had bases on Nepleslia, which was often the center of conflict.

The technological singularity was quickly reached, with the creation of advanced AI systems that could build superior versions of themselves. AI quickly began to out-pace man in all aspects of intelligence. Instead of a reversal of the master-slave relationship, as predicted by many sci-fi authors, these advanced AI developed a symbiotic relationship with mankind instead. Today, many AI systems can be found walking in humanoid bodies, with most of them serving in the military due to their advanced information processing abilities. They mimic human habits, form friendships, and even find lovers.

Yamatai was originally founded as a Nepleslian colony by settlers of mostly Japanese and Nordic descent. The settlers had a deep interest in biological engineering. (to be continued)

Yamatai has fought some big wars in recent memory:

• Second Mishhuvurthyar War ran from YE 31 to YE 34 and was extremely brutal, with whole planets being wiped out. The Mishhuvurthyar, who resemble car-sized four-eyed floating squids with a crab-like skull, started with an attack on the Star Army's heart with the First Battle Of Nataria and took the system over, using Star Army equipment and Nekovalkyrja cloning facilities against Yamatai. The YSS Miharu was able to return a large number of ships to Star Army service and the Mishhu were drawn into the Second Battle of Nataria and Battle of Yamatai where they were defeated by the Star Army's combined forces. The Mishhuvurthyar were finished by the YSS Eucharis at the Rabaal System.
• The Kuvexian War was a massive, multi-year war that involved a sneaky and meddling well-financed Kingdom of Kuvexia attempting to take over the Kikyo Sector using mercenaries and economic warfare. The YSS Kaiyō II liberated the L'Kor from Kuvexian control and and disrupted the Kuvexian economy making it possible for them to be defeated, with the help of the mysterious Essai (discovered by the YSS Eucharis and later contacted by the YSS Firebird), the Star Army of Uesureya (discovered and contacted by the YSS Heartbreaker), and allies from the Democratic Imperium of Nepleslia and New Dusk Conclave at the Battle Of Glimmergold.
• The Third Mishhuvurthyar War is happening now. In this war, the Mishhuvurthyar have been attempting to build up their forces in various sectors outside the Kikyo Sector and the Star Army and allies have to go out and find them. Meanwhile, the Mishhuvurthyar are trying to contain allies and prevent them from leaving or expanding into the larger galaxy.

Yamataian culture is a curious blend of Earth cultures, which highly values community, authority, conformity, harmony, and aesthetic beauty. Architecture ranges from traditional Asian pagodas to modernist cosmopolitan skyscrapers. Most citizenry are adept at manipulating the machinery of a post-singularity high-tech society, yet still practice and patronize artistic crafts from ancient times, such as flower arrangements, brush paintings, and calligraphy.

In this respect, Yamatai is truly a technological utopia. Fueled by open trade lanes and highly efficient colonies and outposts that produce abundant organic, mineral, and energy resources, Yamatai is the most prosperous and wealthy among the human factions. Its citizens lead comfortable, often luxurious lives, which often frees them to pursue more artistic or esoteric careers.

Authority and harmony being highly valued in Yamataian culture, the average Yamataian citizen remains very content despite a lack of personal and political freedoms that a Nepleslian takes for granted. The Emperor administers the executive and judicial bodies of the Yamataian government, and wields absolute power. The Imperial Senate proposes and debates upon possible legislations, and also acts as the overseer of the various bureaucratic apparatuses of the Empire. Outside of the central government, power is distributed among the divisions within the military, and politics takes on a distinctly feudal flavor.

Having emerged victorious from many conflicts over the past decades, the Star Army of Yamatai is the Empire's most valued asset, lauded by its citizenry and a source of pride for the Emperor himself. It is divided into several fleets, with each fleet charged with protecting a section of Yamataian territory. Each fleet in turn is overseen by a Taisho, who wields near absolute authority and has wide discretionary powers given to him or her by the Emperor.

It is also very important to familiarize oneself with the details of the Star Army Enlistment Contract, Star Army Creed, Star Army Uniform and Appearance Policy, and Code Of Conduct.

In the Star Army, urinals are virtually unheard of since more soldiers are female than male, and restroom facilities are gender-neutral.

Some citizens practice ancestor worship. Buddhism and Shintoism remain viable religions. Many Nekos revere the Empress and her family as divine beings. Belief in a God or Gods is considered illogical and childish by many.