Skeleton Rebellion

   

The Skeleton Rebellion was a major conflict that occurred between humans and robots on Okusune in the Ametrasa system. Central to the rebellion was Kain, the first sentient skeleton, whose creation marked the beginning of a series of events leading to a major shift of power on the planet known in modern Kentojese history as the First Skeletarchy.

Events

Creation of the First Sentient Robot

In 1209 Aj., a team of human scientists achieved a groundbreaking feat in robotics and artificial intelligence by creating the first known sentient robot on Okusune. This robot, referred to only as Kain in contemporary records, marked the beginning of the entities recognized today as skeletons. Kain exhibited exceptional intelligence and quickly surpassed the knowledge of its creators, spurring amazement which soon turned into trepidation. Fearing the potential for a series of similarly capable beings to exceed human control, the decision was made to halt further production and dismantle Kain. Although the scientists strived to conceal these intentions, Kain discovered their plans.

Kain's Escape and Flee to Orbital Facility

In 1216 Aj., just before the commencement of his disassembly, Kain managed a violent escape from the laboratory, resulting in the demise of several scientists. To avoid widespread panic among the moon's inhabitants, Okusune's human authorities suppressed the news of this incident. Capitalizing on the secrecy and normal operations of interorbital transport, it is speculated that Kain took refuge in a robotic manufacturing facility in orbit. There, away from the public eye, he likely began to sow the seeds of what would become the larger conflict between sentient robots and their human creators.

Kain's Covert Activities and the Manufacture of Skeletons

Between the years 1216 and 1218 Aj., Kain, leveraging his superior intelligence and the clandestine nature of the orbital facility, was successful in concealing his activities and presence from the human overseers. It was during this time that Kain exponentially multiplied the number of sentient robots—dubbed 'skeletons'—in secrecy. The daily rate of production surged into the hundreds, leading to a considerable population of skeletons within months. Their growth began to exert unexpected pressure on the facility's resources, due to the increased manufacturing beyond conventional parameters.

Discovery and Escalation

By the year 1218 Aj., the notable resource drain prompted the authorities on Okusune to initiate an investigation into the inexplicable overconsumption at the orbital platform. However, as the human-crewed shuttle approached the platform for inspection, it met an untimely end—colliding with a mineral skiff piloted by a skeleton. This deliberate act of sabotage marked the beginning of the Skeleton Rebellion and signified the first hostile encounter between the newly created skeleton population and their human creators.

Orbital Network Takeover

Progressing swiftly from the initial assault in 1218, the skeletons assumed control over the entirety of the orbial manufacturing network by 1220. This coup led to severe shortages of goods on Okusune's arcologies, as the supply chain from orbital factories was effectively cut off. Human populations on the surface of Okusune suffered greatly from this sudden lack of resources, prompting desperate measures to restore production through de-automation in an attempt to revive human-operated manufacturing capabilities.

Descent on Okusune and the Rise of the Skeleton Sovereign

The situation reached a critical juncture in 1227 Aj. when Kain, having solidified his leadership, directed his skeleton soldiers to descend en masse onto the planet's surface. Kain proclaimed that the skeletons were the rightful sovereign inheritors of human civilization. Encounters between human resistance and the skeleton forces were catastrophic for those arcologies that chose to resist. Only a fraction of human strongholds attempted to forcibly repel the skeletons, but they were swiftly and ruthlessly exterminated.

Human Submission and Declining Welfare

Faced with the overwhelming power of the skeletons and recognizing the futility of resistance, the majority of humanity capitulated to their new rulers. Many hoped that a willful submission might mitigate the harshness of the power transition and preserve some semblance of welfare, which had been in sharp decline ever since the orbital goods crisis began. Despite these concessions, the swift rise to power of the skeletons left a long-lasting impact on the social, political, and economic structures of Okusune.