Official Quotes:
The Theory suggests that the temporal anomalies we have encountered are the cause of the thing we call the Loop, or the Worm. It's a tangled knot of paradoxes that has become conscious; a nexus of awareness and desire outside time. Its cause, or its result - it's hard to say with something like this. But it is attracted to endings and to beginnings. We can use the Omega Alignment to bring it through to our home system. If we do, something will certainly happen. This is many things, but especially, it is science.
—Special Project: Generate the Entry Point
The presence was waiting for us. It is The End of the Cycle and it has always been waiting for us. Our psionics suddenly speak in unison, a dozen voices in a perfect chorus: "IT IS NOT YET YOUR TIME." A pause. "BUT IT COULD BE."
Nothing more is said, but a bargain has been offered - we know that much. Power, knowledge and wealth beyond measure are ours for the taking.
If we will only bring forth the End.
Nothing more is said, but a bargain has been offered - we know that much. Power, knowledge and wealth beyond measure are ours for the taking.
If we will only bring forth the End.
—The End of the Cycle
DO NOT DO THIS
— The tooltip that appears if you mouse over the option to accept the End of the Cycle
Our time is up. For fifty years, we have benefited from the immense power given to us by the End of the Cycle. We knew there would be a price to pay, but we thought it might be one we could bear, or that we could find some way to avoid paying it.
It was not, and we could not.
The price we have paid is everything. In an instant, so fast there is no time to react, let alone respond, the <Empire Name> is... gone. Where once there was thriving colonies, there is now only death. Where once mighty fleets crossed the void, there is only ghosts and debris. All devoured by the End. All taken by the Shroud.
All that remains of our empire is a group of exiles led by <Leader Name>, a powerful psionic who saw the end coming and led a small part of our population into hiding on a world not marked by the End.
As if having our empire destroyed overnight wasn't bad enough, a massive Shroud entity has manifested itself in space above <Homeworld>. Made immensely powerful by the devoured consciousness of our psionics, it now roams the galaxy seeking further prey.
It was not, and we could not.
The price we have paid is everything. In an instant, so fast there is no time to react, let alone respond, the <Empire Name> is... gone. Where once there was thriving colonies, there is now only death. Where once mighty fleets crossed the void, there is only ghosts and debris. All devoured by the End. All taken by the Shroud.
All that remains of our empire is a group of exiles led by <Leader Name>, a powerful psionic who saw the end coming and led a small part of our population into hiding on a world not marked by the End.
As if having our empire destroyed overnight wasn't bad enough, a massive Shroud entity has manifested itself in space above <Homeworld>. Made immensely powerful by the devoured consciousness of our psionics, it now roams the galaxy seeking further prey.
—The End of the Cycle: Reckoning
With this attack we have no choice but to protect our kind, by unleashing our almighty weapon upon them. Summoning the Apocalypse.
I solemnly swear to devote my life and ability in the defense of the United Nations of Earth, to defend the constitution of man, and to further the universal rights of all sentient life, from the depths of the Pacific, to the edge of the galaxy, for as long as I shall live.
—Creed of the United Nations of Earth's military
It's over.
I'm terminating our agreement. You knew what it would mean for us, back home, but still you pushed us.
When the choice is to sign or to starve, there is no choice. And as you lived in excess, you forced us to smile. To thank you.
But you failed to see what was beneath the surface, building, festering. So, when the opportunity came to try something else, we took it.
I no longer agree to your terms.
From now on, you will agree to mine.
I'm terminating our agreement. You knew what it would mean for us, back home, but still you pushed us.
When the choice is to sign or to starve, there is no choice. And as you lived in excess, you forced us to smile. To thank you.
But you failed to see what was beneath the surface, building, festering. So, when the opportunity came to try something else, we took it.
I no longer agree to your terms.
From now on, you will agree to mine.
The galaxy. Trillions of stars waiting to be explored. Where wonderous creations mingle with desires and encounters with the unknown. Where the urge to go beyond, and to determine one's own fate, is universal. Where, from the ashes of devastation, a new dawn may rise, revealing a deeper understanding. And this seemingly endless galaxy is still there; lingering, waiting, for our next move, knowing that its greatest story still lies ahead. And it's yours to tell.
What was, will be; what will be, was.
— The Horizon Signal's Arc Words
[Planet name] was a Holy World.
You do not know the true extent of your sin.
Fanmade Quotes:
The Commonwealth of Man must and always has rejected the use of Planet Killer weapons in their totality. Yesterday’s core shattering of The United Nations of Earth’s Centaurus Prime colony and the murder of so many incalculably rich human lives, commits us inexorably to the second clause of that interstellar ban.
No longer will isolationism allow us disengagement when the cost has proven so savage.
We will annihilate the Molluscoid government responsible for the wanton slaughter of our sister civilisation and strike its very name from history itself. It will be burned from the stars; the ashes that flow from the rotten edifice of that former 'civilisation' cast into the great void.
We solemnly swear, to devote our lives and abilities in memory of the United Nations of Earth and we too swear to further the universal right to life of all sentients. From the depths of Hyperion, to the countless warships strung like jewels across the galactic rim's night sky at Unity, we will be Humanity’s avenging Angels and the final guarantor against all planetary destruction. For as long as we shall live: never again.
The Commonwealth of Man guards now our fellow Humans’ shattered remains, we grant their orphans and refugees sanctuary and hearth and shall strike back at the planet killers a thousandfold for the contempt they display against life itself. You shall know no peace now but in defeat xeno and we have no further words for you until your entire government falls forever silent.
No longer will isolationism allow us disengagement when the cost has proven so savage.
We will annihilate the Molluscoid government responsible for the wanton slaughter of our sister civilisation and strike its very name from history itself. It will be burned from the stars; the ashes that flow from the rotten edifice of that former 'civilisation' cast into the great void.
We solemnly swear, to devote our lives and abilities in memory of the United Nations of Earth and we too swear to further the universal right to life of all sentients. From the depths of Hyperion, to the countless warships strung like jewels across the galactic rim's night sky at Unity, we will be Humanity’s avenging Angels and the final guarantor against all planetary destruction. For as long as we shall live: never again.
The Commonwealth of Man guards now our fellow Humans’ shattered remains, we grant their orphans and refugees sanctuary and hearth and shall strike back at the planet killers a thousandfold for the contempt they display against life itself. You shall know no peace now but in defeat xeno and we have no further words for you until your entire government falls forever silent.
—Formal Response from the Commonwealth of Man
, following Apocalypse reveal trailer.
, following Apocalypse reveal trailer....I had two planets full of disgusting xeno scum and no real use for them, since I wasn't starved for minerals or energy at the time.
Immediately I start purging them off by default, but I soon had a better idea. I have enough Killbot armies on the planets to deal with any unrest from slavery, but again, I'm not REALLY in need of the economic stimulus they would provide since I'm pretty well off. But you know what everyone needs? Food.
Except for me. I had recently completed Synthetic Evolution and turned all my pops into perfect synthetic beings with no use for food. But you know who does need food? My old spiritualist friends to the north who's people I had recently taken.
So I switch my new toys from undesirables to slaves, and from chattel slavery to livestock. Then I strike up a very generous deal, giving my recently conquered neighbor 20 food per month for practically nothing. They accept, apparently not at all suspicious of why an entirely synthetic empire suddenly has a surplus of food production.
And that's how I sold an empire's own people back to them as food.
Immediately I start purging them off by default, but I soon had a better idea. I have enough Killbot armies on the planets to deal with any unrest from slavery, but again, I'm not REALLY in need of the economic stimulus they would provide since I'm pretty well off. But you know what everyone needs? Food.
Except for me. I had recently completed Synthetic Evolution and turned all my pops into perfect synthetic beings with no use for food. But you know who does need food? My old spiritualist friends to the north who's people I had recently taken.
So I switch my new toys from undesirables to slaves, and from chattel slavery to livestock. Then I strike up a very generous deal, giving my recently conquered neighbor 20 food per month for practically nothing. They accept, apparently not at all suspicious of why an entirely synthetic empire suddenly has a surplus of food production.
And that's how I sold an empire's own people back to them as food.
—Reddit, giving an example of how far you can take Video Game Cruelty Potential in this game.
, giving an example of how far you can take Video Game Cruelty Potential in this game.''"So... I just had the most amazing thing happen to me so far. Faith in artificial humanity restored.
A little earlier I had a little research station going over pre-FTL mammalians homeworld. Got the "asteroid of imminent doom" event, considered letting it wipe them and snatching the world for myself, but decided to help the poor buggers out. Swooped in with my fleet, ground the asteroid into fine dust, didn't think much of it.
Centuries later, the same race is a tiny protectorate of my neighbour, near one of my newest colonies. Suddenly, I get a message an asteroid is headed towards my fledging outpost, pretty darn far from the nearest force, but should make it no problem. I scramble the fleet and watch them make their way towards the target. But wait! What is that thing in the corner of my screen? It's those damned mammalians and their tiny fleet making their through my systems! Could they be...? Naaah... Or are they? Yes, they are! They jump in just before me and take care of the asteroid! The crowds are cheering! My fleet just looks on dumbfounded. I am speechless."
A little earlier I had a little research station going over pre-FTL mammalians homeworld. Got the "asteroid of imminent doom" event, considered letting it wipe them and snatching the world for myself, but decided to help the poor buggers out. Swooped in with my fleet, ground the asteroid into fine dust, didn't think much of it.
Centuries later, the same race is a tiny protectorate of my neighbour, near one of my newest colonies. Suddenly, I get a message an asteroid is headed towards my fledging outpost, pretty darn far from the nearest force, but should make it no problem. I scramble the fleet and watch them make their way towards the target. But wait! What is that thing in the corner of my screen? It's those damned mammalians and their tiny fleet making their through my systems! Could they be...? Naaah... Or are they? Yes, they are! They jump in just before me and take care of the asteroid! The crowds are cheering! My fleet just looks on dumbfounded. I am speechless."
''"That's awesome. Just imagine that as a story - you're part of that primitive race. You have just enough tech to know that an asteroid is heading towards your young world. This is a doomsday event. Your people despair, the end is near, all is lost. Why even go to work? You are powerless and everything will soon be over. All of your ancestors, all of everything you've ever amounted to, will soon be nothing.
And then you see through your telescopes - what's that — an advanced alien race, a fleet of sleek silvery and incredible ships firing lasers you can hardly imagine, destroying that asteroid before it can hurt you. It's gone now; you are safe. The fleet folds space and vanishes, off to somewhere far away. Their home? some distant battlefield? You cannot imagine. How... amazing. How beautiful. Your first contact with other life, is seeing a stranger save you from extinction. They didn't even ask for thanks. They did it because it was right, and for nothing else. It's literally beautiful. Your race contemplates this event. It drives you to excel, to unite, to become great like the race in those silvery ships. You owe so much to them, and to yourselves, to move forward. They have shown you that it is possible to overcome what you thought was impossible.
Then, centuries later, your people can traverse the stars. You have a fleet - small, compared to what is out there, but still a fleet. You detect an asteroid coming toward an advanced race's world - a race that has ships that even centuries later still resemble those silvery ships your great-great-great-greatgrandparents saw through a telescope centuries ago cancelling your apocalypse. Now it's your chance.
You send everything you have after that asteroid. The advanced race could certainly save themselves - it's probably just a minor chore to them, really, they can do this in their sleep. But your fledgling space navy rushes over and demolishes that asteroid. You spend trillions of your dollars in fuel and munitions. You put forth immense effort, straining what is possible for your meager young interstellar navy to do. But you destroy it, for them, like they once did for you.
And your admiral sends one transmission to the advanced race, your distant-past saviors, your... heroes these past few centuries as you yearned for the stars, "You saved us. Now we help you."
This is wonderful."
And then you see through your telescopes - what's that — an advanced alien race, a fleet of sleek silvery and incredible ships firing lasers you can hardly imagine, destroying that asteroid before it can hurt you. It's gone now; you are safe. The fleet folds space and vanishes, off to somewhere far away. Their home? some distant battlefield? You cannot imagine. How... amazing. How beautiful. Your first contact with other life, is seeing a stranger save you from extinction. They didn't even ask for thanks. They did it because it was right, and for nothing else. It's literally beautiful. Your race contemplates this event. It drives you to excel, to unite, to become great like the race in those silvery ships. You owe so much to them, and to yourselves, to move forward. They have shown you that it is possible to overcome what you thought was impossible.
Then, centuries later, your people can traverse the stars. You have a fleet - small, compared to what is out there, but still a fleet. You detect an asteroid coming toward an advanced race's world - a race that has ships that even centuries later still resemble those silvery ships your great-great-great-greatgrandparents saw through a telescope centuries ago cancelling your apocalypse. Now it's your chance.
You send everything you have after that asteroid. The advanced race could certainly save themselves - it's probably just a minor chore to them, really, they can do this in their sleep. But your fledgling space navy rushes over and demolishes that asteroid. You spend trillions of your dollars in fuel and munitions. You put forth immense effort, straining what is possible for your meager young interstellar navy to do. But you destroy it, for them, like they once did for you.
And your admiral sends one transmission to the advanced race, your distant-past saviors, your... heroes these past few centuries as you yearned for the stars, "You saved us. Now we help you."
This is wonderful."
—A response to the above.
Humans: Commander, we have successfully contacted the Theta Aliens.
Theta: Hello humans! ~meow
Humans: So cute...
Theta: I have a special message from our leader, just for you ♥ WITH ATOMIC FIRE WE WILL CLEANSE THE UNIVERSE OF YOUR KIND! XENO SCUM!
Humans: ......
Theta: Hello humans! ~meow
Humans: So cute...
Theta: I have a special message from our leader, just for you ♥ WITH ATOMIC FIRE WE WILL CLEANSE THE UNIVERSE OF YOUR KIND! XENO SCUM!
Humans: ......
"Looking forward to the next expansion in my favorite sci-fi war crimes simulator. Enslaving the galaxy, exterminating species and destroying worlds that stood in your way just isn't thinking big enough when there's a whole galaxy to destroy."
— Scott Manley, ahead of the release of Nemesis
This one time I ran a bandit kingdom of angry hyena deathworlders. I expand a bit and meet a fanatic purifier, put up a big defense base in a chokepoint and park a fleet on it.
Then I find a devouring swarm on my other side, rinse, rise and repeat. Now I'm struggling a bit because my deathworld homeworld is a shit place to be (duh), so I start invading primitive worlds (which I totes wouldn't have done anyway, I swear!) to boost my economy with slaves. The slaves get pop-controlled so that the only species growing are my angry space hyenas. Then the Prikikki-Tri show up and I am getting kinda hard pressed.
Then I find A FUCKING EXTERMINATOR to my south and I'm flipping my table. I am literally surrounded by genocidal asshats on every border, all I wanted to be was an evil space pirate but instead I'm desperately pumping military and weapons tech to save primitive worlds from extermination because I need the manpower and it's better to toil in a factory than getting gunned down by psychopaths. But I know that it's all for nothing in the end - if one attacks and I take losses, the others will pick me off.
Then the Prikikki-Tri attack.
It's a brutal fight. My species advance grinds to a halt as every single world is turned into a forge world to churn out alloys. I have ~300 per month or so still with tier 1 buildings at some point. I manage to hold the fucking lizards at the Iron Gate Space Station, loss of life in navy serfs on my side probably close to a billion, but finally they go status quo and I sigh in relief.
Then the Purifiers to my east do what I expected and attack. The exterminators and the swarm are thankfully punching each other, but this is still bad. They break through my defenses and take some worlds, start bombing them into oblivion. I recapture my chokepoint as their fleets are stuck at my shielded worlds and pick them off one by one.
Then it's payback time. I Armageddon one world after the other (got a mod that lets every xenophobe use Armageddon Stance). They start offering status quo by the time I wiped out half their worlds, but I don't care.
The last few worlds get cracked after my science habitats finally came online and I managed to rush military tech like there's no tomorrow. The fucking lizards are very quiet up north, but I haven't forgotten them. After genociding the eastern Purifiers, killing ~400 pops and leaving a massive, lifeless swath of space behind, my fleets strike into Prikki space.
It's not even a fight at this point. My fleets are 20k upwards while the Prikk's (see what I did there?) are 10 to 15 tops with many 5 to 8 k's in between. I gain space superiority and take every last starbase they have, then I send in the troops and secure their worlds. I ship the Prikk's who started this whole mess out to every world and set them to livestock status. I gene-mod to increase their intelligence (and nutritional value), just out of spite. They won't have the privilege of being nerve stapled and wasting away as half-vegetables. Their entire fucking species will know and comprehend in full what their situation is, they are being used as food, carved up into tasty Prikikki-Tri steaks and there is nothing they can do about it. They will not go extinct. Their legacy will not be one of blood and destruction, but of unceremoniously being shat out after a superior alien is done with them. They are even educated to a degree so that they know that the reason this is happening to them is because their bloody ancestors 300 years ago made the mistake of kicking the wrong hornets nest.
And for the rest of the galaxy it became a lesson: You do not fuck with deathworlders.
Then I find a devouring swarm on my other side, rinse, rise and repeat. Now I'm struggling a bit because my deathworld homeworld is a shit place to be (duh), so I start invading primitive worlds (which I totes wouldn't have done anyway, I swear!) to boost my economy with slaves. The slaves get pop-controlled so that the only species growing are my angry space hyenas. Then the Prikikki-Tri show up and I am getting kinda hard pressed.
Then I find A FUCKING EXTERMINATOR to my south and I'm flipping my table. I am literally surrounded by genocidal asshats on every border, all I wanted to be was an evil space pirate but instead I'm desperately pumping military and weapons tech to save primitive worlds from extermination because I need the manpower and it's better to toil in a factory than getting gunned down by psychopaths. But I know that it's all for nothing in the end - if one attacks and I take losses, the others will pick me off.
Then the Prikikki-Tri attack.
It's a brutal fight. My species advance grinds to a halt as every single world is turned into a forge world to churn out alloys. I have ~300 per month or so still with tier 1 buildings at some point. I manage to hold the fucking lizards at the Iron Gate Space Station, loss of life in navy serfs on my side probably close to a billion, but finally they go status quo and I sigh in relief.
Then the Purifiers to my east do what I expected and attack. The exterminators and the swarm are thankfully punching each other, but this is still bad. They break through my defenses and take some worlds, start bombing them into oblivion. I recapture my chokepoint as their fleets are stuck at my shielded worlds and pick them off one by one.
Then it's payback time. I Armageddon one world after the other (got a mod that lets every xenophobe use Armageddon Stance). They start offering status quo by the time I wiped out half their worlds, but I don't care.
The last few worlds get cracked after my science habitats finally came online and I managed to rush military tech like there's no tomorrow. The fucking lizards are very quiet up north, but I haven't forgotten them. After genociding the eastern Purifiers, killing ~400 pops and leaving a massive, lifeless swath of space behind, my fleets strike into Prikki space.
It's not even a fight at this point. My fleets are 20k upwards while the Prikk's (see what I did there?) are 10 to 15 tops with many 5 to 8 k's in between. I gain space superiority and take every last starbase they have, then I send in the troops and secure their worlds. I ship the Prikk's who started this whole mess out to every world and set them to livestock status. I gene-mod to increase their intelligence (and nutritional value), just out of spite. They won't have the privilege of being nerve stapled and wasting away as half-vegetables. Their entire fucking species will know and comprehend in full what their situation is, they are being used as food, carved up into tasty Prikikki-Tri steaks and there is nothing they can do about it. They will not go extinct. Their legacy will not be one of blood and destruction, but of unceremoniously being shat out after a superior alien is done with them. They are even educated to a degree so that they know that the reason this is happening to them is because their bloody ancestors 300 years ago made the mistake of kicking the wrong hornets nest.
And for the rest of the galaxy it became a lesson: You do not fuck with deathworlders.
