According to legend, the Lemites came to their unknowing and dubious planetary prominence no thanks to Xuppy's previous tenants; the "Old Scaled Ones". This advanced [21st Century technology] reptilian race managed to nuke itself out of existence during a spat over who was going to make coleslaw for the annual "Master and Slave Picnic".
After the mass flambe of these supposedly intelligent lizardoids, the Lemites found evolutionary opportunity thrust into their sweaty little paws. Having nothing better to do, the giggling and enthusiastically incompetent hairballs began the long, turgid and apathetic trek to the advanced (compared to juvenile blowfish) civilization the Lemites became famous for.
162: Lemites' first contact with survey teams. Some Lemites learn to speak Imperial (mainly to ask for spare change), but it mostly was confined to those in Patrols.
163: Solar Spices and Liquors (SSL) lands on Xuppy. The SSL takes over an intact Old Scaled One missile base and establishes the colony SSL Korlus.
181: The Lemite Confederacy is established. Emite the Clean is elected as the first Head Squek.
182.35: The Association of Free Traders (AFT) surveyor Prinze Eugen is attacked by pirates while in orbit of Xuppy, and lost with all hands. The Lemites claim no connection with the RIP, a pirate organization.
182.38: Imperial forces blockade Xuppy. The IMP accuses the Lemites of obtaining Imperial-manufactured laser weapons, specifically from the captured Prinze Eugen. SSL ships run the blockade. The Imperial charge is never proven.
In 185, the Lemites went to war with a descendent race of the Old Scaled Ones, the SED. The SED were supported by the Community (COM), a religious cult of telepathic enuchs. Much of the information during this time was lost as a result of the nuclear bombardment and genocide. Here is the purpoted history:
185.15-16: LEM mercenaries with SSL support capture most of SED colony Conrad before being driven back.
185.?: Lemite troops attack SSL Korlus. The Lemites claimed they had paid for the rights to the colony and control of Korlus had not been transferred to them.
185.20?: The SSL is forced by the Stellar Empire to turn over Korlus and the missile base to the LEM. The SSL does, but not before stripping both of some material.
185.27: A fleet of eight SED ships and one COM ship bombard now-LEM Korlus. Six of the eight SED ships were destroyed, but not before severely damaging the colony.
185.28: A fleet of Community ships bombards the planet with extremely "dirty" nuclear weapons. 27,000 defenseless burrows are destroyed, with a loss of 600,000 Lemites. Twenty-seven burrows remained, with only 30,000 survivors. Most suffered effects of the bombardment. As a result of this attack, the Lemites signed a peace treaty all but ceding control of Xuppy.
185.?: The Imperial Survey Service (ISS) surveyor Dragonweyr investigates. It finds that the SSL governor of Korlus supplied the "dirty" nuclear weapons to the Community to nuke the Lemite burrows, most likely taking the weapons from the old missile base. The governor claimed the Lemites were nuked in retaliation for their attack on Korlus. The ISS confirmed the Lemites did attack the colony, using weapons from the captured AFT Prinze Eugen and other pirated ships. The Lemites denied any contact with the RIP (a notorious pirate organization) and claimed they paid 50,000 stellars for the rights to Korlus. The payment was confirmed by the SSL.
186.?: The Lemite Confederacy collapses.
192.04: Surviving members of the famed "Rat Patrol", led by Gulop�the Flatulent, attack members of the COM with smuggled-in all terrain vehicles at the Emperor's birthday party. Although they were unceremoniously ejected from the gala event, some measure of revenge was obtained.
193.?: News of the total destruction of COM colony Rept reaches the surviving Lemites (now down to about 21,000). The celebration lasts nearly a month. A few months later the population swells to 22,000. (the celebration became an annual event known as the Lemite Picnic and is usually held on Week 26).
193.26: Emite the Clean rebuilds Korlus. It is given the novel name of "Lemite Colony" and listed as Independent (IND).
193.43: An Imperial freighter, the ITS Jove, becomes the first post-war ship to visit IND Lemite Colony. A trade deal is struck between the colony and IMP WakeIsland II. The agreement continues for many months, until the IMP/Foelian war.
194.25. Attempts to establish a formal government begin. Realizing that they cannot survive in the radioactive plains, the first burrows begin migrating to IND Lemite Colony.
194.50: The government formation effort collapses, thanks to machinations by then-ISP PD, Eric von Ludendorf, and the Stellar Treasury Company (STC). The STC was to have provided some initial funds, a couple of ships, and a few outposts to the new government. Despite this setback, burrows continue to flee the nuclear wastelands to the colony.
196.10(?): The last of the known Burrows move into Lemite Colony. Total known racial population is about 25,000.
196.20: A primitive galactic-broadcast monitor is established, using a ship's radio found in a cache at the old missile base. Its batteries are kept charged by volunteers running a wheel attached to a generator. Although prone to interruptions and exhausted runners, it is the Lemite's link to the rest of space.
196.21: A Kazerickii (KZK) ship lands at IND Lemite Colony, and requests to establish outpots. The Lemites ask for a sizeable "monetary inducement". Angered, the KZK ship leaves. Later, the Lemites find out they had barely escaped retribution by being captured and enslaved as breeding hosts.
196.23: The Lemite Court's Prosecutor, Sheck the Rude, submits testimony via radio to the Alliponian Court during the trial of a being known as "Phatboi" or the "Cohoes Criminal". "C.C." was a major participant in the Lemite genocide, and was sentenced to death partly on Lemite testimony. ( By common consent, his real name was stricken; never to be uttered or written by any race ever again.)
196.20-40(?): The Myrrians (MYR) begin trading with the Lemites. The Myr eventually deliver a myrship, named 'Conrad's Bane'. A small cadre of MYR crew remains behind to act as trainers, provide support, and help operate the ship. Although the ship is not used much, the Lemites gain valuable technical and cultural experience. (some other experiences may have been gained as well; there are rumors of Myrrian-Lemite offspring.)
197.06: A Lemite astronomer, Hark the Gazer, reports seeing strange flashes in space. Most of the Lemites dismiss his claims, calling him 'Hark the Geezer'. But unknown ships are orbiting Xuppy.
197.16: A mysterious IND ship arrives with its name painted out, and a "salvaged" factory in its cargo hold. Asking no questions, the Lemites trade fissionables for the factory. An initial agreement is reached to establish a colony market so that further trades can be made. The Lemites observe the IND ship orbiting Xuppy for a week before it finally leaves.
197.23: The "Periphery War" breaks out. Lemites observe more unknown ships in orbit of Xuppy. A vindicated Hark the Gazer is made 'Official Astronomer for Life'.
197.30: More unknown ships continue to orbit Xuppy .Some of the members of the Cult of Awbis Rozenoz claimed that he was returning. But the few ships that did land did so far away from the colony. Scouts report seeing strange devices dotting the surface (what the scouts observed turned out to be Kazerickii mining outposts).
197.42: Two EEM myrships land, their crews nearly on the edge of mutiny after months of survey work. After a brief but satisfying port visit, the ships dump their survey equipment at the colony.
198.16: Word that the Myrrian Speaker has been overthrown reaches the MYR expatriates. The Lemites offer asylum. The Myrians accept.
198 1-52: The Kazerickii resume trading with the Lemites. They provide additional factories and help build a Hiport for Korlus. Imperial once again becomes an important trading language, as the Kazerickii language consists of pheromes (something the Lemites cannot do).
199.16: Another attempt to form a Second Confederation fails when the colony adminstrators manage to secure enough 'no' votes from the burrows. The adminstrators argue that things are going well the way they are. They also cite news from traders about 'the Fish'�invaders�and how it would be folly to "change things". The vote is nearly 3-1 against a Confederacy.
199.18: A group of pro-Confederates meets secretly in an abandoned burrow. They approve the Articles for establishing a new government. The members agree to send 5 Lemites from each burrow away from Xuppy to be trained and educated .
199.30: The Conrad's Bane, after being grounded for over a year, is captained by an Ensign Ratface and sent on a brief tour of the Periphery. It is stripped of its Myrrian hull-shift advantage and received troop-transport capability at EEM Hypso. The Bane's mission is to search for signs of the reportedly-extinct SED.
199.20-52: The Association of Free Traders (AFT) under its new PD, former Myrrian Speaker Silver Cascade, resume trading with the Lemites. The AFT sells them a Cargo Master and some robotic workers.
200.01: The Imperials grant the Kazerickii (KZK) three systems for self-rule. Among the systems listed in the agreement is Lexikonn. A clause in the agreement reportedly gives Lemites 'protected-race' status under KZK auspices, with self-rule and an opportunity for eventual independence.
201.14: Scheck the Rude, now the Lemites' chief negotiator, initiates a formal request to the KZK to begin negotiations for defining the Lemites' self-rule.
201.18: After six months of fruitless searching, Ensign Ratface lands the Conrad's Bane at Hypso. After filing a report that "the SED no longer exist", he turns in his resignation and becomes an EEM sales representative.
201.36: Rumors begin flying at various starports that "the Lemites are going to try to overrun the colony with sheer numbers. Something about a special food available here that they can't resist." While false, a crewmember from the Conrad's Bane comes across a�particularly troubling rumor while at a recreation complex.
The rumor says that the RIP (a pirate group) captured and abandoned a Lemite freighter full of "rat dung" in Lexikonn near space square 350. Supposedly, veteran RIP troops boarding the ship were nearly overcome by the odor and abandoned their attack. Lemite intelligence sources manage to confirm that a ship was indeed left in that area. Concerned at an Expatriate vessel may have been a RIP victim, the Lemite Provisional Council orders the arming of one of its survey vessels, and another to load troops and repair equipment.
201.37: The Conrad's Bane begins refitting as a missile-armed patrol ship. Cooler heads, concerned that the 'abandoned' freighter may be a RIP trap and that one Myrship might be inadequate, begin searching for warships available for short-term lease.
201.40: Two warships, IND Cleburne (Dreadnaught) and IND Whitewind (Baseship), are leased from the Imperials and depart for Lexikonn. The Conrad's Bane finishes its hasty refit and heads for a rendezvous point in space square 150.
Lemite intelligence comes across additional information. This time it is about a Mega Hauler named the Rat Dung that was reported by an Imperial warship. The freighter is reportedly loaded with... rat dung.
201.41: Emite the Clean receives an offer from ArchPriest Whisper of the Foelians. He offers to let them colonize a planet in the Northcape system. The Foelians would help set up the colony, and the Lemites would have autonomy over the planet. He replies that he will disclose the offer to the Provisional Council during its meeting in Week 44.
201.41: The three ships rendezvous and begin a sweep. A Supra Hauler called the �IND Lemite Freighter with a crew of five is found in space square 350.
Meanwhile a surprising discovery is made. The Myrship IND Big Kahuna, enroute to Lemite Colony to pick up troops and battle armor for a boarding action, comes across the infamous IND Rat Dung in space square 352. �The Mega Hauler is indeed loaded with 1850 mass units of "rat dung". The Cleburne and Conrad's Bane are dispatched to intercept and disable the vessel. The Whitewind is ordered to shadow the Lemite Freighter.
201.42: The Cleburne intercepts IND Rat Dung in space square 352. Unfortunately in an attempt to disable the vessel, the Cleburne fires into the engine section, blowing up the Supra Hauler.
201.44: The Lemites and the Kazerickii sign a treaty creating the Lemite Autonomous Region. The treaty gives the Lemites control of Xuppy and its moon.
201.45: The Lemites are granted official affiliation status. Utter bedlam breaks out at the colony when the populace finds out the good news.
201.48-202.20: Utter havoc reigns as Known Space is thrown into disarray by the Ghods. The FISH were invading! The Universe as we knew it, according to the gleeful Ghods, was finis, kaput, ended. Entire populations fled, or as rumor had it, were taken away by a supposedly benevolent race. The famed Lemite Guard at ISP Jax reportedly perished protecting King Rlo from the mobs. The Lemites themselves went into a deep hibernation.
Then, suddenly, the mayhem stopped. The FISH had never really invaded. All was now as it was before, the Ghods claimed.
But it wasn't. Beyond the Stellar Empire was devastated. Less than ten percent of Known Space's population was left. Ships were drifting in space, colonies were on autopilot. Governments were shadows of their former selves. Lines of communication severed. And into this mess, the Lemites awoke...
202.30: Lemite colony Habitrail established. With the blessing of the Lemite Council, Shek the Rude becomes the colony's first Governor.
203.16: A Cargo Carrier (CC) named Gift to Lemites appears in Korlus' starport. Since the starport is closed at night, no one knows when it arrived or who it came from.
203.26: The first colony meeting at Korlus since 202.20 is held. It was agreed that Korlus will continue to be governed by a committee consisting of a representative from each of the 1110 burrows, and renamed the "Korlus Council". The colony remains a Free Port. Shortly afterwards came a meeting of the Head Squek and the Lemite Council announced that new elections would be held on 203.50. He-Who-Runs-through-Grass was named Speaker for the Lemites, replacing Shek the Rude (now governor of Habitrail). Runs-Through-Grass becomes the first Northern Lemite to hold an important position in the Lemite government.