Vektan

Vektan is a term to describe the native human inhabitants of the planet Vekta.

History

The ancestors of the modern Vektans were UCN colonists who were brought from Earth to Vekta after the First Extrasolar War had ended the Helghan Administration's rule over the planet.^[1] During the early days of their settlement, this new Earth-loyal minority was relentlessly attacked by the Helghan loyalist majority, but these attacks were quickly put down by the ISA.^[1] Eventually, the Helghan corporate citizens embarked on an exodus to the planet Helghan, leaving the Vektans to live in peace until the time of the Second Extrasolar War.^[1]

In 2357, Vekta was invaded by the Helghan Empire. Vekta's defenses were sabotaged by ISA traitors Stuart Adams and Dwight Stratson, who disabled the planet's orbital defenses and hindered the ISA's efforts to effectively counter the invasion. Many Vektans were killed in the invasion and others suffered under Helghast brutality. The invasion was ultimately repelled by the actions of the Vektan war hero Jan Templar and his team.^[2]

Two years later in 2359, ISA Alpha Centauri launched a counter-invasion of Helghan in an attempt to swiftly end the war by capturing Scolar Visari. However, the counter-invasion culminated in Helghan's devastation in the Terracide.^[3][4] After the war, the Vektan government offered the surviving Helghast refuge on Vekta. This act of mercy was reacted very negatively by the Vektan population. As a result, the Vektans and Helghast were unable to seek peaceful coexistence due to the war and Terracide, and Vekta was partitioned to separate the two civilizations from each other.^[5]

The Vektans currently live in a state of cold war against their Helghast neighbors of New Helghan, and are under threat from Helghast terrorists and extremists such as the Black Hand. The Vektan Security Agency was established to deal with the domestic Helghast threat and have launched numerous covert incursions into New Helghan's borders.^[5]

In 2390, the VSA discovered a still alive Jorhan Stahl who was slowly building up a Helghast military force on Helghan to invade Vekta and wiping out the Vektans with a bio-weapon reverse-engineered from the VSA.^[5] An ISA taskforce under VSA Director Thomas Sinclair would engage Stahl's forces, and despite suffering heavy losses, they would emerge victorious with Stahl murdered by the Director personally and his bio-weapon retrieved.^[5] In the aftermath, the Vektan government blamed New Helghan for restarting hostilities against Vekta and prepared for another war against the Helghast after negotiations between the nations broke down.^[6]

Culture

Vektan culture seems to be highly consumerist and militaristic, with ISA Cruisers lining the skies of Vekta, and the VSA, who have policing duties, looking more like soldiers than police officers in response to the Helghast resettlement. Massive advertisements for products and corporate logos are seen on the numerous skyscrapers in Vekta City, and corporations seem to be a large part of Vektan life. Vektans seem to be highly eco-friendly if Vekta City is any indication, with a well-designed railway system all across the city for transportation and clean energy devices such as hydroelectric power run by waterfalls.^[5]

Vektan society seems to be relatively peaceful on the surface, but since the Helghast resettlement on Vekta, anti-Helghast prejudice and violence is common on the Vektan side. Having a long antagonistic history with the Helghast due to the Second Extrasolar War, the Vektans live in an uneasy peace with their New Helghan neighbors, who similarly harbor strong anti-Vektan sentiment over the Terracide. Helghast and half-breed migrant workers and expatriates living on the Vektan side are treated with scorn and contempt by the general population.^[7] Anti-Helghast hate groups are known to frequently target these resident Helghast and often causing their "disappearances."^[8] Even people discovered with traces of Helghast heritage are instantly shunned and treated as pariahs.^[9] Although a large majority struggle to tolerate their existence, others like Lucas Kellan can see the humanity in the more desperate and destitute side of the Helghast, having witnessed their struggles firsthand.^[5] During the political crisis on Gyre, Vektan and Helghast demonstrators worked together in solidarity to condemn the repressive Helghast Workers Union Party.^[10]

Values

Vektan values seem to be individualistic, and based on broad concepts such as freedom and liberty. Such values reflect their consumerist culture, which is in stark contrast to the Helghast mentality of the needs of the many before the needs of the few. These values are contradicted by their current position, considering that the UCN levies strict rules against all colonies. The Vektans seem to be acceptable with this arrangement, however.

Vektans do not seem to be willing to extend their values to other planets, or respect planets that actually exercise these values. For example, in some ISA propaganda depicted in Killzone 2, the speaker in addressing the Helghast says "the trade in energy and essential supplies has been brought to a halt, leaving other colonies close to collapse", as if the Helghast are not allowed to end their trade deals with other planets in light of a war, and the other colonies are entitled to these resources. This is most likely due to ISA Alpha Centauri's loyalty to the UCN, much like all other ISAs are.

Trivia

• Vektans have been the protagonist of every Killzone media to date, with the exception of Mercenary starring a silent protagonist from Earth.

See Also

• Vekta
• ISA
• UCN

References