Short version: It appears that approx. 50 years ago there was a meeting between humans and Thargoids. We have very few mentions of this meeting, but it does seem to have occured in ED Lore. This event occurred in FFE (in at least one of the story paths anyway), but we know that some bits have been retconned from previous games to make the story for ED, so it's interesting to find fleeting references to it.
I'm curious to know if there's any other references in-game, like tourist beacons or anything like that? Might it be a part of the story we've yet to fully uncover in ED? Like INRA was mentioned in Galnet in August last year, but the bases were only found recently.
This is what I've got so far:
This is all from Lore sources (Galnet and official novels):
"...given the fifty years of false hopes since Soontill was first mentioned by the Thargoids." Source: https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/18-MAY-3301 This is implying that (in some method) the Thargoids "talked" to humans and "mentioned" Soontil, the language here implies there was a dialogue, rather than us just finding a Thargoid ship log or something (though it's not definite proof).
Galnet mentions the media leak in 3250 that revealed INRA (this was part of the story of FFE and has been transferred over). https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/57ada8969657baeb6e876c6c we also know that other parts of this element of the FFE story are in ED, it's not strictly relevant, but does show that events happening in 3250 in FFE seemed to be concurrent in ED.
There's also these references in Out of the Darkness:
Moira's home colony (Fafner, in the Jotun System) was destroyed by Thargoids around 3250-ish (I think, from inferred dates), they carpet bombed the colony to dust and killed everyone that survived in the bunkers:
"I’ve no idea how long the bombardment lasted. It seemed like hours, but was probably only minutes. The bunker was the only structure to survive." "“We never knew what brought the Thargoids."
(Helen talking to Moira about Carl working with Thargoids, this is in approx 3270-ish, from inferred dates):
"But Carl could have met with the Thargoids around then, couldn’t he, during their incursions?"
- Helen could mean the Thargoid war here, but the context of the later conversation implies that the war was a historical event, not a recent history event, so for that reason I assume she's referring to a more recent "incursion", and she's talking to Moira at the time, the implication seems to be they both reference the same "Incursions" - circa 3250-ish.
(Helen to Carl on board the Thargoid-made space station before he reveals they made it):
"I remember the pictures you took, during the human-Thargoid talks. Why emulate them?"
Non-ED Lore, but interesting (from FFE Journals)
This is one of several versions of the journals where there are some for of peace talks between Thargoids and Humans. From the context we have above, it seems that something like this event must have happened in ED Lore: Carl "took photos" during the talks - from the context of the discussion he's having with Helen, they are at that time in the human-habitable part of the Thargoid space station, she is commenting on the fact that it looks a lot like the location the Thargoids made for the talks (it's very octagonal and alien):
"ALIENS ENGINEER MEETING
For the first time in the history of the Galaxy, human ambassadors from both the Federation and the Empire will meet representatives of an alien race aboard a ship converted to serve the needs of both species. Full guarantees of safe passage were given to all concerned and there is thought to have been an exchange of hostages to ensure that the representatives come to no harm during the meeting.
All communications will take place on a specifically altered Thargoid ship in deep space to the North of the Edge. The ultimate aim is to find common ground within which it will be possible for both political sides and both species to live amicably within the Galaxy. The immediate aim is a cessation of the war that has been taking place on the Edge zones and that is threatening to engulf the Inner Core. As a gesture of goodwill, all Federal Naval Commanders have been ordered to withdraw from the battle zones and given orders not to fire unless attacked. This temporary cease-fire will remain in place until such time as negotiations are either complete or are known to have broken down.
Individual Commanders are requested to do nothing that will exacerbate and already tense situation."
I'm curious to know if there's any other references in-game, like tourist beacons or anything like that? Might it be a part of the story we've yet to fully uncover in ED? Like INRA was mentioned in Galnet in August last year, but the bases were only found recently.
This is what I've got so far:
This is all from Lore sources (Galnet and official novels):
"...given the fifty years of false hopes since Soontill was first mentioned by the Thargoids." Source: https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/18-MAY-3301 This is implying that (in some method) the Thargoids "talked" to humans and "mentioned" Soontil, the language here implies there was a dialogue, rather than us just finding a Thargoid ship log or something (though it's not definite proof).
Galnet mentions the media leak in 3250 that revealed INRA (this was part of the story of FFE and has been transferred over). https://community.elitedangerous.com/en/galnet/uid/57ada8969657baeb6e876c6c we also know that other parts of this element of the FFE story are in ED, it's not strictly relevant, but does show that events happening in 3250 in FFE seemed to be concurrent in ED.
There's also these references in Out of the Darkness:
Moira's home colony (Fafner, in the Jotun System) was destroyed by Thargoids around 3250-ish (I think, from inferred dates), they carpet bombed the colony to dust and killed everyone that survived in the bunkers:
"I’ve no idea how long the bombardment lasted. It seemed like hours, but was probably only minutes. The bunker was the only structure to survive." "“We never knew what brought the Thargoids."
(Helen talking to Moira about Carl working with Thargoids, this is in approx 3270-ish, from inferred dates):
"But Carl could have met with the Thargoids around then, couldn’t he, during their incursions?"
- Helen could mean the Thargoid war here, but the context of the later conversation implies that the war was a historical event, not a recent history event, so for that reason I assume she's referring to a more recent "incursion", and she's talking to Moira at the time, the implication seems to be they both reference the same "Incursions" - circa 3250-ish.
(Helen to Carl on board the Thargoid-made space station before he reveals they made it):
"I remember the pictures you took, during the human-Thargoid talks. Why emulate them?"
Non-ED Lore, but interesting (from FFE Journals)
This is one of several versions of the journals where there are some for of peace talks between Thargoids and Humans. From the context we have above, it seems that something like this event must have happened in ED Lore: Carl "took photos" during the talks - from the context of the discussion he's having with Helen, they are at that time in the human-habitable part of the Thargoid space station, she is commenting on the fact that it looks a lot like the location the Thargoids made for the talks (it's very octagonal and alien):
"ALIENS ENGINEER MEETING
For the first time in the history of the Galaxy, human ambassadors from both the Federation and the Empire will meet representatives of an alien race aboard a ship converted to serve the needs of both species. Full guarantees of safe passage were given to all concerned and there is thought to have been an exchange of hostages to ensure that the representatives come to no harm during the meeting.
All communications will take place on a specifically altered Thargoid ship in deep space to the North of the Edge. The ultimate aim is to find common ground within which it will be possible for both political sides and both species to live amicably within the Galaxy. The immediate aim is a cessation of the war that has been taking place on the Edge zones and that is threatening to engulf the Inner Core. As a gesture of goodwill, all Federal Naval Commanders have been ordered to withdraw from the battle zones and given orders not to fire unless attacked. This temporary cease-fire will remain in place until such time as negotiations are either complete or are known to have broken down.
Individual Commanders are requested to do nothing that will exacerbate and already tense situation."
