It may come as a surprise to some that pre-Dominion Cassus shared many similarities with the Exiles. The Dominion did not exist, and members were treated as equals. There was no war-mongering, though there was conflict and hard times. Despite these hardships their society made steady strides in science and technology. (1) (00:20)
What changed? The Eldan. The ancient beings took notice of this fledgling commonwealth and saw potential. (2) Over a thousand years ago they sent their Mechari to deliver an ultimatum: allow their population to be led into a glorious future or die. All they had to do was hand over one person to them, one of their heroes. (3) (00:41)
They saw only the promise of power, of leaving their hardships behind, and so they cast aside their mantra of equality and embraced the Eldan. They knelt before their new half-Eldan, half-Cassian leader. Drive and advanced technology gave birth to the Dominion, now a force of expansion at all cost. (4) (01:01)
The Dominion claim Nexus as their own, their birthright. But as the Dominion grew from Eldan influence, the Exiles spawned from Dominion oppression. They are both Cassian at their core, with the Dominion embracing the new ideal while the Exiles favor the old. When the Dominion turned its weapons on the splinter of Cassians that protested the new order, it horrified many of those in their military. (5) (01:24)
They broke away. They were triumphant in their initial battles. They found allies. Yet their supplies and forces were dwindling and would continue to do so unless they found a home they could claim. Unless they could find a land rich in resources to restock, resupply, and keep the Dominion at bay. (6) (01:42)
Who is to say which side the Eldan favor or if they are even watching after so long. Perhaps both the Dominion and Exiles will find they are but another experiment in a long list of experiments. (7) (01:55)
Video segments[]
- 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn8648VGMKM&list=UUhg9HfiT-DbivZnnMtjPUGw (01:51 - 0:1:58) slow this segment down if needed)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k7I1Z6a_FA&list=UUhg9HfiT-DbivZnnMtjPUGw (00:51 - 00:55) (00:19 - 00:23) (stop at ships)
- 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pgK0I3FqvU&list=UUhg9HfiT-DbivZnnMtjPUGw (01:28 - 1:31) (slow this segment down if needed)
- 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmCyPXv5APY&list=UUhg9HfiT-DbivZnnMtjPUGw (00:19 - 00:34)
- 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N-95t5hk14&list=UUhg9HfiT-DbivZnnMtjPUGw (00:29 - 00:36) (00:49 - 00:51) (01:03 - 01:04)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t0mgu0_i3c&list=UUhg9HfiT-DbivZnnMtjPUGw (01:27 - 01:32) (slow this segment down if needed)
- 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn8648VGMKM&list=UUhg9HfiT-DbivZnnMtjPUGw (01:03 - 01:12)
- 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-NXdWk9sm8&list=UUhg9HfiT-DbivZnnMtjPUGw (00:12 - 00:33)
- 7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjlPJzJTziA&list=UUhg9HfiT-DbivZnnMtjPUGw (00:14 - 00:19) (end with planet view)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N-95t5hk14&list=UUhg9HfiT-DbivZnnMtjPUGw (00:40 - 00:45) (slow this segment down if needed)