Learn more about the ASA, and discover connections between stories with this infopage. Each link will take you to a post helping explain people, places, and timelines.

ASA Characters

ASA characters often appear in or are referenced in multiple stories. Here is a list of characters with info posts about them

Species

There are many different Alien species mentioned in the full ASA storyline. The major species and their relations to Earth are listed below in order of discovery/first mention. The list will be updated as more stories are released.

Aquainians – The Aquainian people were the first (some say second) alien species to make contact with humanity. According to the most common histories, the Aquainians arrived on Earth in a stolen Zytoc vessel, attempting to make allies with humankind. Jack Melniz and his parents were the first humans to speak with and deal with these aliens. Jack Melniz became one of the major pieces in the formation of the ASA, along with Kymoc, an Aquainian captain. The Aquainians are short green green-skinned, and have four tentacles for arms.
Zytoc – The Zytoc are a proud and cunning race, though not without their good qualities. The Zytoc were the first alien species to fight with Earth in a space battle. Their invasion kicked off the formation of the ASA, thanks to Jack Melniz. The Zytoc now maintains a peaceable alliance with Earth. The Zytoc are tall, skinny, and strong with grayish black skin covered in a fine mesh of silver patterns on their skin.
Marqui – The Marqui species is the most similar to humankind. They were the third (sometimes debated to be first by historians who mince up the Phoenix mission logs to prove a point) alien species discovered by humankind. Unlike the Zytoc and Aquainians, they were truly ‘discovered’ by NASA astronauts landing on the planet on an unconfirmed date. The date was most likely after the discovery of the Zytoc and Aquainians. They were enslaved by the Frigii (a fact often mentioned in the stories), but freed by the astronauts of the Phoenix mission. The Marqui continue to play an important role in galactic politics, not falling under the ASA’s shadow like other nearby species. The Marqui are tall and strong with humanoid features, aside from their thick leathery blue skin. However, they are not completely homogenous; some Marqui have a more violet hue of skin.
Frigii – The Frigii (alternatively spelled the Figii) are a species of highly developed aliens who ruled over the Marqui and did trade with the Zytoc empire before its collapse. The Frigii left the planet of Marquesh when the members of the Phoenix mission started an uprising. They were not seen or heard of again during the entire age of the ASA. The Frigii were tall and somewhat slimy; they had very few humanoid features, but were rather insectile with multiple beady black eyes and a hard outer exoskeleton.
Yi’up Aliens – the inhabitants of the world of Yi’up are not named throughout the stories. They are the first alien species to be discovered during the actual stories and not the prelude stories. The inhabitants of Yi’up are introduced during the story In the Vortex, in which they kidnap two ASA explorers. This incident sets the tone for the relations of humans to the people of Yi’up, as throughout the rest of the stories, they are mentioned as being at odds with humankind: scamming humans, cheating the ASA, etc. The inhabitants of Yi’up are very similar to the Zytoc in physiology. Their skin, however, is a bright red, and their feet, hands, and heads are much bigger. The most noticeable feature of a Yi’up alien is their lack of toes.
Stelloids – first mentioned in the story Hidden Death, in which one of these evil, vindictive creatures invades an ASA diplomatic cruiser, murdering everyone on board. Stelloids are brutal, dangerous, and fanatic. Yet they often exude a sense of childish innocence, and their true shape isn’t menacing at all (they look like short, pale, disproportionate humans). They are often called the apex predators of the galaxy, using biological and technological means to ensnare their prey. Stelloids are an insectile species in nature (if not appearance). They have a system of nests under the Death Commander; each nest has a queen and a drone. The drone usually doesn’t live long after the establishment of a nest. Most of the Stelloids born from the queen’s eggs aren’t drones or queens; they are the main force of Stelloid soldiers. They unquestioningly serve their queen, who in turn serves the Death Commander.

Planets

Earth – The center of the known galaxy, much of all alien politics revolves around Earth and the ASA. The main ASA base is located on Earth just outside New York City. Earth’s solar system is also famous for being one of the only ones to have multiple habitable planets. Earth’s solar system is also the home of the Kupier Gate, a powerful device mentioned in Of Money and Monsters.

Marquesh – Marquesh is home to the Marqui. Its primary language is Shellom and English, the main trade languages of the known galaxy. Marquesh is a cold world; the warmest areas around the equator still receive some snow in cold years. Most of Marquesh is a tundra landscape with large pine forests. The largest concentration of Marqui is in the pine forests and tundra just below the slopes of the Frugess mountains. The mountains sheltered the Frigii fortresses from which they controlled the planet. At the edge of these mountains, the Marqui built Tarca City, their capital, which eventually became known as Tarcacity.

Zylistia – Home of the Zytoc, a warm planet with various climates but few oceans and lakes. Much of the planet is covered with large sprawling cities and industrial areas. The Zytoc, however, are very efficient with space and can hold ten times the number of people in their cities.

Aquain – Aquain got its English name (its true name is unpronounceable by humans) from the fact that it is more than eighty percent water. Aquain is made up of one large continent at the South Pole and many small islands across the equator. The Aquainians can breathe in water and air, but the Zytoc, who conquered them, built the biggest cities on land. The coastal regions around many islands are highly populated, though.

Yi’up – Yi’up is a planet with a large and dense atmosphere with many mountains. Most of the planet is uninhabitable thanks to the huge, ever-present storm systems that ravage the surface. Small valleys and caves shelter the inhabitants. Most people believe Yi’up was never meant to hold life, but that the caves form an ancient prison or mine system. Yi’up is rich in valuable industrial metals such as iron, aluminum, and titanium. The people of Yi’up somehow speak Shellom, a fact yet to be explained.

Phytom – Phytom is a world close to its sun, only allowing life thanks to its atmosphere filtering out radiation. Most of the planet is too hot to live on, but the poles are perfect for a small waystation. Ships land on Phytom to refuel and resupply before carrying on to other worlds. This planet is the setting for the story Removal despite it having no alien life.

Geo – A very Earth-like planet in position and makeup, no life was on it when it was discovered. Teraformers added an ozone layer and enriched the soil, planting various vegetation. Geo is the most Earth-like planet in the known galaxy.

The Current ASA Timeline

ASA Foundation

2126 AD – Phoenix mission leaves for Marquesh.

2128 AD – Aquainians steal a Zytoc ship and land on Earth.

2129-2131 AD? – Phoenix mission lands on Marquesh and liberates the Marqui slightly by accident.

2130 AD – Jack Melniz meets Kymoc and crew, they travel to Zylista and return on Zytoc war vessel, finally managing to warn Earth before the ships arrive. Earth mounts a defense, and the Zytoc are defeated.

2132 AD – Phoenix mission returns and is put under arrest, Haric escapes with members and meets up with Jack Melniz and Kymoc. Alien life was revealed to the public, and ASA was officially created.

2134 AD – Last Zytoc resistance defeated, ASA officially becomes the strongest force in the known galaxy.

2143 AD – Moon City project begins.

2145 AD – First Mars colony established

Early ASA

2154 AD – Story Station Gen. II Tyler Corik arrests Jacob Glissan and begins the process of reuniting the solar system.

2160 AD – First lightspeed engine perfected, The Rusty becomes the first ship to take off at superluminal speeds.

2185 AD – Story Of Money and Monsters Harry Edwards reveals corruption in ASA, and the process of cleaning up its ranks begins.

2188 AD – Martian rebel organizations form

2198 AD – Story Alien Academia, Shane Melniz catches two Martian terrorists, and Mars earns the right of equal say in Earth’s government.

2202 AD – ASA’s 80th anniversary, it officially becomes a full Earth-based project. Some people propose renaming it the EM (Earth Military) the overall cost in repainting every sign and alerting every species causes this idea to be disregarded.

2203 AD – Story In the Vortex, Levi and Robert discover alien life on Yi’up.

2206 AD – Story Killer Cohort Solites Shane Melniz and Daniel Georges stop a Zytoc coup, the Zytoc become true allies with Earth, and the whole known galaxy is at peace… for twelve years.

Stelloid War

2218 AD – Story Hidden Death. Shane Melniz fights the first Stelloid. The ASA covers up the incident and keeps the existence of Stelloids a secret.

2220 AD – Story Removal, Major Hoshea Whittmer stops a Stelloid incursion. The Stelloid war officially begins with a speech by the Commanding General Howard Torkiz.

ASA Tech Advancements

The main tech advancements throughout the ASA storyline are kept here.

Radial-7 Blaser – a clunky but effective laser weapon that disintegrates everything in its path.
Lightspeed engine – a superfast engine.
Radial-9 Blaster – a less clunky but still blunt weapon, disentigrates everything with one big blast.
Hexapad – a small screen device used in most ASA technology, similar to a touch screen.
Radial-11 Blaster – the first blaster capable of firing one huge blast or individual laser bullets.
Death Gloves – a pair of gloves that increase the strength of a punch or a crushing squeeze.
Radial-16 Blaster – pretty much the same as the others.
Energy Grenade – it glows purple and gives off a big pow.
Warper Engine – an even faster super engine.
Radial-19 Blaster – don’t make me say it again.
Static Bow – a weapon that uses charges in the air to fill a room with lightning. Ouch.
Radial-21 Blaster – first radial model with individual changeable canisters of power. Packs the biggest punch yet.
Rate Warper – an engine capable of reaching rate 1 and above.
pow 1.5 – the first energy gun not to be called radial, instead referred to as a pow (power-operated weapon). It is capable of firing much quicker than previous guns.

ASA Storyline Infopage