Flag Of The Maltarian Empire
The Maltarian Empire, home to the amphibious Maltarian people, is an expanse of 13 systems located approximately 4 months travel in Otherspace from Sivad. Before 2653, the Maltarian Empire consisted of the Maltarians and their homeworld of Maltar III exclusively. They had just entered into their space age, launching orbital flights and satellites, when the arrival of an alien ship changed the Empire forever.
When the Kretonians had invaded the Sol system in 2652, they destroyed the solar collectors that were providing sunlight to Ganymede. The planet was becoming uninhabitable quickly, and scores of ships evacuated the doomed moon. Most were picked off by the Kretonians, but one large freighter, carrying various scientists and their familes, successfully ran the gauntlet and jumped into Otherspace along no set course. Wandering aimlessly through space, they rationed their limited supplies and searched for any habitable worlds. After several stops to check worlds that proved to be uninhabitable, In April of 2653 they reached the Maltar system.
Approaching the planet, they were quick to notice that it was inhabited, and apparently by intelligent beings based upon the number of satellites they observed, as well as transmissions they picked up of various audio and visual broadcasts. Faced with dwindling supplies, they decided to make landfall, hoping that the people of this world would welcome them.
It went better than they could have hoped. Although their vessel was quite unusual to the inhabitants, they showed no fear, instead, they were very curious about this ship and the Ganymedian refugees it contained. The human leader, Hans Jorgenson, was taken to meet Emperor Mrr'trog. Surprisingly to Hans and his people, the Maltarians picked up English rather quickly, almost as if they could see the words. Little did they realize at the time the unique gifts the Maltarians possessed because of their history with the Kamir.
The Emperor heard their story, and listened to their plight. Intrigued by the humans and their culture, he offered them land on which they could build a settlement, in exchange for sharing their vast knowledge with his people. The humans readily agreed, and within a few short months their colony was completed. Shortly after, they began working with the Maltarian scientific community, teaching, learning, and helping improve the Maltarian's technology. Within a few years, they had succeeded in replicating the Otherspace drive the Ganymedians had brought with them, and had constructed several vessels based on them.
The Emperor, to honor the kindness and generousity the Ganymedians had shown them, made a decree that from that point forward, the Empire would be ruled by both himself, and a human Emperor. Thus he crowned Hans Jorgenson as the first of a line of co-Emperors that lasts to this day.
The Maltarians, along with the Ganymedians, began a program of exploration. Over the course of 30 years, they would come in contact with 12 nearby systems, meeting the people that inhabited them, sharing knowledge, and establishing trading relationships. Over time, these systems tightened these relationships, until in time, they all chose to swear fealty to the Emperors, becoming member nations of the Empire. These 12 systems, along with Maltar III, comprise the Empire as it is known today.
By the year 3000, the Empire had grown and prospered under the wise rule of the co-Emperors. By this time, the ruling Emperors were Mrr'traug, and Jerge Jorgenson. Both had sons in line to succeed them, being Mrr'lato, and Eric Jorgenson, Admirals in the Maltarian navy.
The navy had grown considerably over the past three centuries, comprising a vast number of ships and crews to protect the Empire from various rogue elements that had threatened it over the years. Several unfriendly nations either border or are in close proximity to the Empire, and thus the prosperity they enjoy has not been without its price. By now, however, peace and stability reigned, and the Emperors decided it was time to seek out new territories and other worlds. To this end, they sent out several ships, one of which was the IMV Emperor's Hand, commanded by Captai Mrr'ataugh, younger brother of Admiral Mrr'lato. Mrr'ataugh's first officer was Commander Williamson, a Ganymedian descendant. Through perhaps sheer fate, or even a bit of luck, their expedition found them arriving in the Ikeopo system, near Sivad.
This first contact situation did not go well. Upon landing and making contact with the inhabitants, a SHIELD officer named Harris took it upon himself to apply a very shrewd interpretation of Sivad's weapons laws to the newly arrived delegation of Maltarians. Despite protests from the civilians around them that this was an exception due to the potential diplomatic opportunity, Harris demanded they surrender their weapons. The Maltarians refused, citing one of their own laws that forbid the transfer of weapons to other parties. Harris became increasingly hostile, to the point of insane rage, despite the Maltarian's calm responses and demands to see his superior. Without the intervention of a Centauran who used mind control on the manic SHIELD officer, the situation might have been worse. As it was, the Maltarians left Sivad for more hospitable cultures, leaving a bad taste in their mouth for Sivadians that would last for some time to come.
Eventually, the Maltarians located Ganymede, the ancestral home of their Ganymedian friends, and began the process of reclaiming the planetoid. An underground base, protected by a pressure dome, was built into the old Torricelli spaceport, and was christened Imperial Starbase G-Alpha-1. Thus the Maltarians secured a fixed presence in the known worlds.
This presence remained until Ganymede was destroyed in 3003, during the OATO - Solar Republic war. This was a move orchestrated by the Maltarians, who had set up explosives on the planetoid and detonated it when defeat looked near - this also took out enormous portions of both the Sivadian and Republican fleets, killing Colin Niedermeyer who was aboard the Republican flagship Alexander. The Maltarians and Ganymedians that were on Ganymede retreated to Calzon IV, where they remain to this day. There are reports that contact with the Empire was not lost, and in fact Calzon continues to be a full fledged member.