Star Control Trivia

1. What happened to Earth in the prologue to the story?

From Quiz "Star Control II": Storylines

Answer: It was enslaved by the Ur-Quan

OK, here's the story... The Alliance Of Free Stars lost its war with the Ur-Quan Hierarchy (played out in part 1) and was disbanded as the Hierarchy enslaved each remaining species in the galaxy that could travel the stars. This course of action, we later discover is due to the Ur-Quan's history: they themselves were once enslaved for a very long time, and once they freed themselves from their "masters", they vowed never to allow themselves to be made slaves again. The way to do this: enslave everyone else. The Earth (as well as the Chenjesu/Mmrnmhrm and Syreen homeworlds) was encased in an impenetrable red slave shield that prevented space travel, and the moon became a Hierarchy waypoint. Humans chose this fate rather than the alternative, to fight alongside the Ur-Quan. One small group of humans was away in another solar system on an experemental mission at the time and remained free. This group, headed by you (our hero) travels back to Earth in a special Precursor ship, only to find it enslaved. Our hero makes contact with the captain of a space station orbiting Earth and convinces him to mount a rebellion against the Hierarchy by forming new alliances with any species they can. This is where the game kicks off.

From Quiz Star Control II: Alien Races

Answer: Ilwrath

The Ilwrath are an evil sadistic race of spider-like creatures that love nothing more than to inflict death and destruction in the name of their "Gods of Evil" Dogar and Kazon. Perhaps the only thing they love more is telling you how they plan to do so. They are original members of the Hierarchy, and were in fact uplifted to space travel by them. At one point in the game, you find yourself in possession of a hyperwave caster capable of transmitting a powerful signal through space. You use it to impersonate Dogar and Kazon and, a few laughs aside (like ordering them to change their name to the Dill-rats), you order them to vacate their home sector and go attack the Thraddash, who are eventually wiped out.

From Quiz Quirky Plot Elements in "Star Control II"

Answer: A bunch of robots programmed to shuffle dirt around for all eternity.

Apparently, the Ilwrath had made some excuse and departed. Bored, but mainly afraid that something might come up and eat them, the Cowardly Spathi drew "Puuni Sticks" to decide who gets to go home first. This lot-drawing continued for several years until the last Spathi ship left the Lunar Base. The Spathi were smart enough to leave Robots on the face of the moon, programmed to shovel dirt around endlessly, thus creating the appearance that the base is still active, lest the Humans ever consider escaping.

From Quiz "Star Control II": Storylines

Answer: Precursors

The Precursors were a race so advanced that the relatively ancient technology they left behind (when they disappeared from the galaxy) is beyond the technical knowledge of all remaining races in the Star Control story. During the war, possession of Precursor technology proved capable of tipping the scales in either side's favor. Not much else is known on the Precursors, and historical info on them is so scarce that it is almost as valuable as the gadgets they left lying around the galaxy.

From Quiz Star Control II: Alien Races

Answer: Melnorme

The Melnorme are a wandering race of merchants who can be found all over the galaxy. They are not interested in the outcome of the war, or in anything other than their own profit. They value data as the highest form of currency, and the The Melnorme trade credits for your accumulated data on lifeforms and strange planets such rainbow worlds. These credits can be used to buy everything from historical info to fuel to schematics for improved technology to outfit your ship. They are quite often a life-saver when in a jam. I'm sure many players would attest to having run out of fuel in the middle of hyperspace and being saved by a wandering Menorme.

From Quiz Quirky Plot Elements in "Star Control II"

Answer: The Ilwrath have been talked into hunting down all the Pkunk by their Twin Gods of Darkness

The Spider-like Ilwrath receive messages from their gods, Kazon and Dogar, the twin gods of Death and Destruction, on Hyperwave Radio Channel 44. They obey mainly because they love death and destruction anyway, so it works great for them. However, Dogar and Kazon are actually just a prank by the mischiveous Umgah, who are broadcasting on that channel with the "booming voice" sound effect turned on, and just laughing and laughing at the results.

From Quiz "Star Control II": Storylines

Answer: Yehat

The Yehat were once among the most powerful members of the Alliance of Free Stars, but when the Alliance was defeated and disbanded by the Ur-Quan Hierarchy, the Yehat joined them as battle thralls. This was a proud, and deep down a very honarable species, and normally they would never have simply sided with a former enemy, but they were forced to obey the command of their Queen, who had chosen to surrender to the Ur-Quan when most of the Yehat were prepared to fight them to the death. As a result, many Yehat in "Star Control 2" find themselves torn between their honor and their loyalty to their Queen. When encountering Yehat ships in the game, some would simply attack as required by their status in the Hierarchy, while some would shamefully leave you in peace, visibly distresed at their moral dilemma. The only thing that could make their shame worse, they reveal, would be if their beloved Shofixti were to see them like this. The shame might even prove enough to bring them back to the Alliance. This is why you eventually set off to replenish the Shofixti race.

From Quiz Star Control II: Alien Races

Answer: Druuge

The Druuge are also merchants, but they are in no way as trustworthy or helpful as the Melnorme. For starters, many of the items they sell are completeley useless (except for their own ships, and the Rosy Sphere which is used to repair the Utwig's Ultron), and their sales pitches are reminiscent of 20th century infommercials. Secondly, their prices are too high. Thirdly, their only form of accepted payment is with your ship's crew for slaves, which leaves your ship weakened until you return home (not to mention it involves you in a slavery ring). In my own experience playing this game, I found it best to avoid the Druuge unless dealing with them was absolutely necessary.

From Quiz Quirky Plot Elements in "Star Control II" (Part 2)

Answer: Earth

The Supox' homeworld is curiously named Earth, although this has little coincidence - as plants, it's only natural that they would name their home this way. The Supox are equally surprised as you that they are intelligent, as even their own research clearly proves that plants can't possibly have any intelligence at all!

From Quiz Quirky Plot Elements in "Star Control II"

Answer: Little Grey Men

The Arilou are, really, what we nowadays call "Little Green (or Grey) Men". They're not from Mars though, they actually come from a very strange dimension "above" ours. They have been monitoring Earth and have been doing genetic modifications and all that UFO stuff for centuries. They claim to be protecting us from something really nasty, but their real motives are as obscure as their conversation. Creepy. At least they can be very helpful if you treat them with courtesy.

From Quiz Star Control II: Alien Races

Answer: Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah

The black Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah (as opposed to the green Ur-Quan Kzer-Za, whom we know as the original Ur-Quan) are in a war with their green counterparts over control of the Sa-Matra and the fate of the conquered races in the galaxy (how to eliminate the possibility of ever being enslaved again). The Kzer-Za want to enslave them all (either under slave shields, or as space-going battle thralls for the Hierarchy), but the Kohr-Ah saw one solution and one solution only: annhihilate all possible threats (the Kohr-Ah referred to this as "cleansing" alien "filth"). Eventually the Kohr-Ah would win their doctrinal war with the Kzer-Za and sweep across the galaxy wiping out all races they came across. From this point on, you have a limited time window to complete the game.

From Quiz "Star Control II": Storylines

Answer: they are being mind controlled

When you first talk with an Umgah at their homeworld, he seems unuasually mechanical in his manner of speech, and shows no signs of that notorious Umgah sense of humor. It is later revealed that the Umgah are under the mental compulsion of the last remaining sentient Dnyarri (the powerful race of toad-like creatures that originally enslaved the Ur-Quan, and were subsequently overthrown and reduced to mindless talking pets for the Ur-Quan - this particular one had been rescued from a crashed Ur-Quan ship by the Arilou and brought to the Umgah, who used their biotechnology skills to return it to sentience). The Dnyarri cannot be stopped without a psychic shield device left behind by the now extinct Taalo race. Once in possession of the shield, you return to the Umgah planet and, with the Dnyarri's mental hold on you nullified, you take it with you and return the Umgah to normal. This is the same Dnyarri that distracts the Ur-Quan in order to let you near the Sa-Matra.

From Quiz Quirky Plot Elements in "Star Control II"

Answer: The Mycon shot their children into the planet's crust, making it spew out volcanos and violent earthquakes

It is a part of Mycon Nature. These fungus-like organisms are practically immortal, they can really return from the dead! They seem to be some kind of galactic terraformers made by some unknown ancient force, they shoot their children deep into the core of lush, green planets to turn the planet into a hot ball of lava and fire. These are apparently the right conditions for the growth of a Mycon Child. The Mycon use some kind of eerie genetics to implant memories of past, dead Mycon into their offsprings' minds. So, in effect, they've all got split-personality syndrome of the worst kind straight from birth. It's hard to keep track of who you're talking to whenever you face a Mycon. The worst part is that they want to turn everyone else into fungus too.

From Quiz "Star Control II": Storylines

Answer: Vux

The rogue Vux commander Zex has a cache of Shofixti females at a secret location. He will only let them go in exchange for some rare creature, which you must capture and deliver to him. Then you take the females to the last remaining Shofixti male in the galaxy in order to repopulate their race and enlist them in the New Alliance and sway the Yehat back to your side with the shame of facing the Shofixti. Ergo, the first step to having the Shofixti (and the Yehat) join you is to seek out the Vux commander.

From Quiz Star Control II: Alien Races

Answer: Thraddash

The Thraddash are a race of brash, obnoxious creatures who can scarcely end a conversation without a fight. They come across more as an intensely warlike race than just plain evil. They might have become extremely advanced, if only they could keep one culture going permanently, rather than bombing each other back into the stone age every few generations. They play a major part in the story, as they originally own the Aqua Helix (until you steal it) needed to repair the Utwig's Ultron device and obtain the Precursor bomb that would later deal the decisive blow to the Hierarchy and end the war.

From Quiz Star Control II: Alien Races

Answer: Arilou

The Arilou (short for Ariloulaleelay) are a species of humanoid beings clearly based on the classic image of the "alien abductors" mentioned throughout late 20th century (large heads, pale skin, large almond-shape eyes). They were among the original Alliance members, and are extremely friendly, almost protective towards humans. They are from a realm called quasi-space and are the only star-faring race not to occupy a sphere of influence in the actual galaxy. Their major contribution to the new Alliance is the quasi-space drive they equip on your flagship, allowing you to travel amazing distances in almost no time.

From Quiz "Star Control II": Storylines

Answer: Pluto

This poor Spathi (I believe his name was Fwiffo) is left all by himself by the Hierarchy to "monitor" the system. Of course, he turns coward the second you address him and decides to talk peacefully. Eventually, he informs you of the location of his homeworld Spathiwa, as well as the secret password to speak with their leaders. This paves the way for discussions that eventually lead the Spathi to defect from the Hierarchy and join the Alliance.

From Quiz Star Control II: Alien Races

Answer: Syreen

The Mycon are a fungus-like lifeform that evolve on "shattered planets", whose surfaces have been turned into a hellish volcanic environment in which the Mycon thrive. One such shattered world is Syra, the original home of the Syreen. For a long time, the Syreen thought their world had died from cataclysmic disasters within the planet. Only later was it revealed (by you) that the Mycon were responsible, and the Syreen launched an attack against them.

From Quiz Star Control II: Alien Races

Answer: Umgah

The Umgah are shapeless pink blobs of flesh and eyeballs who are constantly looking for ways to amuse themselves at the expense of others. They had played a particularly bad prank on the Spathi, terrifying them into thinking that beings called the "Grand Master Planet Eaters" were coming to their homeworld. All in all, the Umgah are far more good-humored and less belligerent than any of the other Hierarchy races, and seem to enjoy a laugh much more than a fight. The Umgah prove essential to the war on the Hierarchy even though they are a part of it: our first visit to the Umgah introduces us to the Dnyarri talking pet that would later be used to psionically distract the Ur-Quan long enough to approach and destroy their vaunted Sa-Matra battleship.

From Quiz "Star Control II": Storylines

Answer: they committed planetary suicide

The Shofixti are probably the most honor-loving species in the galaxy aside from the Yehat (which is why the two species had shared a deep mutual respect during their days in the Alliance). They would rather turn kamikaze than suffer defeat. For example, their ships had the ability to self-destruct in order to deal heavy damage to enemies in combat. Anyway, when the Shofixti were on the verge of being overpowered and enslaved by the Ur-Quan, they chose to activate a massive bomb (their "Glory Device") that blew up their sun, annihilating all Shofixti and Ur-Quan in the system. The only Shofixti left afterward were two brothers (Tanaka and Katana, one of which you make contact with and set about reviving the race) and a cache of females in the possession of Vux Commander Zex.

From Quiz "Star Control II": Storylines

Answer: insult him repeatedly

When first making contact with Captain Tanaka, he immediately assumes (because his sensors are malfunctioning) that you are an Ur-Quan and looks to engage you in combat (a valiant little fellow indeed, considering his ship is about 1/50th the size of yours with a meager crew of one). No matter how friendly you try to be in your replies, he is convinced you are an enemy and drags you into a fight. At this point, you have two options: blow him away in one shot, or warp out of combat (a function usually reserved for surviving a losing battle against more fearsome foes). You can easily kill Tanaka, basically putting an early end to that subplot and dooming the Shofixti to all out extinction, but the trick is to warp out and continue talking to him. He continues to call your Ur-Quan and launch all kinds of insults your way. Each time, one of your available responses is an insult of your own. When you choose this response, Tanaka gets angrier and again engages you in combat, and again you must warp out. After doing this three or four times, he eventually comes to the realization that no Ur-Quan had ever insulted him before, and asks you who you are again. The choice response is something to the effect of "I'm a friend, you bumbling idiot", at which point he realizes he made a mistake, and finally warms up to you.

From Quiz "Star Control II": Storylines

Answer: they are grounded on their planet

The Spathi, being the spineless wimps they naturally are, eventually elect to enclose THEMSELVES under a slave shield of their own free will. Simply put, they prefer the comfort of self-imposed isolation to the freedom (and perils) of space travel. From this point on, no more Spathi ships can be produced at the starbase, and they are pretty much out of the Alliance. Interestingly, this is when they make their most useful contribution to the alliance, leaving behind the Umgah broadcasting device that would come in so handy in dealing with those pesky Ilwrath.

From Quiz "Star Control II": Storylines

Answer: Mycon sun device

While locked under a slave shield together inside Ilwrath space, the Mmrnmhrm and Chenjesu begin a process whereby the two races are to merge into one more powerful race. When you first visit them, they tell you they cannot help you until the process (which draws the energy it requires from the sun) is complete. At one point, you convince the Mycon to abandon a heavily guarded planet in their space and go investigate a potentially suitable planet for them to colonize. While they are gone, you go to the now unguarded planet's surface and abscond with a device that amplifies a sun's rays to incredible levels (which the Mycon used to assist the development of their Deep Child offspring). One "flash" from this device gave the Chenjesu and Mmrnmhrm enough energy to complete their process within seconds, and become the all-powerful Chmmr.

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