[Galemp]

I am leaving soon, and you will forgive me if I speak bluntly. The universe grows smaller every day, and the threat of aggression by any group, anywhere, can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all, or no one is secure.

Now, this does not mean giving up any freedom, except the freedom to act irresponsibly. Your ancestors knew this when they made laws to govern themselves and hired policemen to enforce them. We, of the other planets, have long accepted this principle. We have an organization for the mutual protection of all planets and for the complete elimination of aggression.

The test of any such higher authority is, of course, the police force that supports it. For our policemen, we created a race of robots. Their function is to patrol the planets in spaceships like this one and preserve the peace. In matters of aggression, we have given them absolute power over us. This power cannot be revoked. At the first sign of violence, they act automatically against the aggressor. The penalty for provoking their action is too terrible to risk.

The result is, we live in peace, without arms or armies, secure in the knowledge that we are free from aggression and war. Free to pursue more... profitable enterprises. Now, we do not pretend to have achieved perfection, but we do have a system, and it works. I came here to give you these facts.

It is no concern of ours how you run your own planet, but if you threaten to extend your violence, this Earth of yours will be reduced to a burned-out cinder. Your choice is simple: join us and live in peace, or pursue your present course and face obliteration. We shall be waiting for your answer. The decision rests with you.

...I think we finally found out where the Shivans came from.

[RedBaron]

who sais that?

[terran_emperor]

This is from classic sci-fi film "The Day the Earth Stood Still". It is  Klaatu's iconic famous speach at the end of the film

[Incer]

Hmmm.... Actually the first thing that came to my mind when I did read the topic title is the "Army of Darkness" movie... 

[Titan]

star trek/ jimmy neutron (the harry potter spoof)

[Mustang19]

  Some interesting parallels. This may indeed be what intended.

[Kopachris]

But the universe is expanding...  Stupid old sci-fi movies with their awesomely crappy special effects and primitive science...

[Droid803]

Then replace Growing smaller by growing larger. same thing.

[Agent_Koopa]

Well, now we know the magic phrase that will stop the Shivans.

[Woolie Wool]

I was discussing this same idea with StratComm yesterday. I think it is very much possible that the Shivans, either on their own or as tools of some far-off masters, are punishing humans and Vasudans for their innate violence, not subspace use. They came twice during periods of pre-existing strife, and left when the strife ended. The collapse of Shivan forces at the end of FS1 wasn't a retreat, it was a reprieve, and the supernova in Capella may have been a reminder of the consequences of being "destroyers" ourselves. This also fits the "symptom of a bigger problem" (the proclivity of humans and Vasudans to violence and xenophobia). If a war occurs between Sol and the GTVA after the Terrans build their jump gate, we can expect the Shivans to attack a third time.

[Kopachris]

I was discussing this same idea with StratComm yesterday. I think it is very much possible that the Shivans, either on their own or as tools of some far-off masters, are punishing humans and Vasudans for their innate violence, not subspace use. They came twice during periods of pre-existing strife, and left when the strife ended. The collapse of Shivan forces at the end of FS1 wasn't a retreat, it was a reprieve, and the supernova in Capella may have been a reminder of the consequences of being "destroyers" ourselves. This also fits the "symptom of a bigger problem" (the proclivity of humans and Vasudans to violence and xenophobia). If a war occurs between Sol and the GTVA after the Terrans build their jump gate, we can expect the Shivans to attack a third time.

But why?  Why would they care one way or another what we do?  Maybe the Shivans were created by the Ancient race (not to be confused with the Ancients) that seeded our primordial oceans to give us humanoid forms, because that Ancient race was dying out.  Maybe the Shivans were created to protect us from ourselves?  Then why did they annihilate the Ancients?  Sorry, thinking out loud...

[Dark Hunter]

If indeed the Shivan's goal was to stop violent races, it seems pretty obvious why they would annihilate the Ancients. The Ancient Monologues make them out to be victims of the Shivans, but when you think about what the Ancients were doing before the Shivans showed up, I'd say they got what they deserved. They were conquering races left and right, and either enslaving them or wiping them out. Not nice people at all.

[Woolie Wool]

I was discussing this same idea with StratComm yesterday. I think it is very much possible that the Shivans, either on their own or as tools of some far-off masters, are punishing humans and Vasudans for their innate violence, not subspace use. They came twice during periods of pre-existing strife, and left when the strife ended. The collapse of Shivan forces at the end of FS1 wasn't a retreat, it was a reprieve, and the supernova in Capella may have been a reminder of the consequences of being "destroyers" ourselves. This also fits the "symptom of a bigger problem" (the proclivity of humans and Vasudans to violence and xenophobia). If a war occurs between Sol and the GTVA after the Terrans build their jump gate, we can expect the Shivans to attack a third time.

But why?  Why would they care one way or another what we do?  Maybe the Shivans were created by the Ancient race (not to be confused with the Ancients) that seeded our primordial oceans to give us humanoid forms, because that Ancient race was dying out.  Maybe the Shivans were created to protect us from ourselves?  Then why did they annihilate the Ancients?  Sorry, thinking out loud...

I had the idea that the Shivans are controlled by an alien race of godlike beings or wannabe gods who are obsessed with galactic peace. They would have seen the Shivans annihilating the Ancients as no different from the execution of a murderer or terrorist. To them, the Ancients would be a savage butcher race that had to go. The Ancients themselves admitted to committing genocide not once but several times.

[Snail]

It's a good idea but I never liked it.

The main reason is that the very name of the game is FreeSpace. If you read the FSRefBible, you are told that "FreeSpace" is another name for "Subspace," and since FS is basically centered around the Shivans leads me to the conclusion that the Shivans have something to do with subspace that is more important than just using it as the T/Vs do.

[Woolie Wool]

Why else would they only come out when the Terrans and Vasudans are already at war?

[Snail]

First time it could have been a coincidence. Second time, it was because the Trinity opened the portal.

[ShadowGorrath]

Oh damn ! People, this information is CLASSIFIED !

[Snail]

Oh damn ! People, this information is CLASSIFIED !

Sanitize me.

[ShadowGorrath]

Oh damn ! People, this information is CLASSIFIED !

Sanitize me.

Eh, alright, but you're not gonna like that!

Gonna send some fellas over to you. If you hear a knocking on the door, don't run.

To everyone else:

This information has been classified level Phi. Any discussion or distribution of given information is punishable under the GTVA security act, Deneb convention, section 24-3-5 ( I think I got the numbers right this time ^^ ).

[Snail]

Gonna send some fellas over to you. If you hear a knocking on the door, don't run.

Kinda hard if I'm in an SC 5.