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THE FIRST FIRETRUCE (3641)

Bright Dream of Unity
By 3640, every tribe was again either at war or preparing for war. Desperate to find a solution that would head off another destructive conflict, Phoenix Prime Quinn Istvan yl-Harabec brought a bold proposal to his people. The Tribes of Man would have a temporary cease-fire, a truce between all the tribes that would open the way to the exploration of peaceful solutions.

At first, even the Children of Phoenix were skeptical, but Quinn Istvan yl-Harabec would not be denied.

"If we do not take this first step, who will?" the Phoenix Prime told his assembled generals. "Who will assume the responsibility? We must not look at the other tribes as blood enemies, but as rebellious children who have lost their way. They are all children of Blessed Harabec. Can we not dare to tame even the Blood Eagle or the Gorgon Killers? Can we not dare to risk ourselves for peace?" After considerable debate, the Phoenix elders agreed, and the Children opened their heartworld--then the planet Navaj Erath, famous for its canyons of windcarved sandstone spires--to a gathering of all the Tribes of Man.

Doing so entailed a great risk for the Children, as they made their heartworld vulnerable. However, Quinn Istvan, like many Phoenix Primes, was a scholar and a historian, one familiar with the ancient history of Terra. He held a particular interest in the Hellenic cradles of civilization. Thus, he crafted his cease-fire to mirror the flavor of the classical Olympic games.

Ultimately, every tribe agreed to attend. Some groups required more persuasion than others, but in the end, the Children of Phoenix prevailed. On the Month of the Seventh Sky, 3641, the Tribes of Man assembled on the heartworld of the Children; the first time they had assembled in peace since The Splintering. Originally called "The Gathering of Unity," the event quickly earned the name "Firetruce" after the great torch Quinn Istvan caused to be ignited by the leaders of the Three during the opening rite. The new name stuck, and the Phoenix Prime's original term fell into disuse and then into history.

The Firetruce was wildly popular. The duels and competitions drew huge crowds, the largest ever seen in the wilderzone. The iconoclastic Children of Phoenix stringer called the "Space Monkey" won all the grav racing events, and Miroko Flannery of the Frost Queens took the dueling prize after a bloody final match with Tubman Slash of the Blood Eagle. The Children of Phoenix won the flag capture competition after turning back an unexpected challenge from the Starwolf.

As their people mingled and participated in the many festive events, leaders met behind closed doors. Quinn Istvan led discussions including Great Eagle Achilles Nagashima of the Blood Eagle, Geali Blood-Burns-Even-Steel of the Gorgon Killers, John Redbear, reluctant spokesman for the upstart Alliance of Starwolf Packs, and the famous Diezral Chen of the Starslayers. They and representatives of the other tribes codified the body of oral traditions called "The Tenets of Harabec." The Tenets became the closest the Tribes of Man had for laws. The Firetruce Assembly also agreed a Firetruce would be held every fifty years on a world of the Children's choosing.

The records kept of this meeting are lost now, but Quinn Istvan clearly accomplished the near impossible by convincing the Blood Eagle and Starwolf, as well as the many other tribes, to agree to these tenets. Tribal histories tell little about the life of Quinn Istvan other than that he was a charismatic and forceful leader who preferred to offer the hand, but was not afraid to use the shockwhip. He clearly recommitted his tribe to the cause of peace, to the point where much progress occurred because of "gifts" made by the Children to the other tribes. The extent of the Phoenix Prime's generosity is unknown, but the records suggest he strained the Children's considerable wealth. Shortly after the Firetruce, the Children transferred several disputed systems to the Blood Eagle, the Gorgon Killers received several new starships, and the struggling Starwolf gained access to much better weapons technology.

At the conclusion of the month-long festivities, Quinn Istvan may have examined his accomplishments and concluded that peace was at hand. Many tribes had rejoined the Children of Phoenix during the Firetruce, and the Starwolf and Blood Eagle had tentatively agreed to end their hostilities. The Phoenix Prime had every reason to hope that tribal unity was more than a mere possibility.

Quinn Istvan would not live to see the next Firetruce, however. He died in a hunting accident ten years later, and leadership of the Children passed to his young son, Quinn Andrei yl Harabec.