The World

History

The solar system we populate has changed over the decades and centuries. From humble beginnings on Earth, we have scattered through the system, striving to breathe life into the void and bring warmth to where it is cold. Every planet and moon that could be colonized was colonized. Any celestial object we couldn’t build on – we built around. Countless space stations, colonies, satellites, all have a steep cost.

The Earth Federation, later renamed Federation of Sol, could not hope to colonize the system with most of its resources tied down to maintaining it’s ‘unity’ on Earth.
This unity brought little change to the life of the average earther. Poverty and crime rates remained high and still do. These factors have been cited as the primary reason by colonists electing to leave Earth through the decades.

Some say the colonization of the solar system would not have been possible without the groundbreaking research as well as significant monetary investments by large mega-corporations back on Earth. It was no wonder when the time has come for them to attempt and capitalize, at times practically holding the Federation financially hostage.

Some of the orbital station colonies around the moons of Jupiter and Saturn are flat out Corporate facilities – enforcing their own policies and regulations, providing their own security and services to the men and women – citizens of the federation – who live and work under their employment.

Relationships between the Federation and various corporations vary in nature and scope. Many corporate figureheads are former officials of the federation, electing to get even richer rather than retiring – a common practice for individuals with friends in high places.

The colonization of the system had more than a financial cost. It has taken a toll from human society as we know it. It was a matter of time until the first uprising would happen, culminating in The First Revolt, and eventually a second.
The power of the Federation was no longer unrivaled. The path was paved and way was shown to all those who had the will to resist.

The older colonies, those closer to Earth have been come to be known as The Inner colonies: Luna, Mars and its moons – Phobos and Deimos, Mercury, Venus, all of which are surface colonies except Venus, an Orbital Station.
Inner colonials are stereotyped as typical federalists and loyal citizens of the federation, enjoying decent living conditions and quality of life, with Mars being the exception.

The younger colonies or Outer Colonies are: Saturn and some of its moons, Jupiter and some of its moons, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, all of which are orbital colonies with the exception of Pluto –  a surface colony.
Situated further from the core of the federation, colonists hailing from these worlds are tough as nails and likely employed by some corporation. 

With such a large territory but limited resources, it had become apparent to the Federal Authorities that some parts of the system are simply not worth the manpower and the fuel required to maintain under federal influence.
That is how The Fringe came to be. Further than the furthest colony, Pluto, in the Kuiper belt itself is an area of space buzzing with activity.
The Fringe is a sector of the Kuiper belt and a home to many societies and communities. Makeshift space stations bundled together from stranded shipwrecks, a booming unlicensed mining industry, smugglers, mercenaries and pretty much any other character the federation would consider “undesirable”.

In the shadows of the Fringe, a movement grew – the MCF, or Movement of Colonial Freedom.
Little is known about their structure, hierarchy or disciplines. Sometimes it would appear as if they are just bands of raiders or anarchists. As far as the Federation is concerned, they are terrorists. However, many disenfranchised citizens of the federation, particularly from the more freedom-loving colonies, are MCF sympathizers and consider them to be freedom fighters.
The strength of the MCF is their ideology and it’s infectious potential. Any bureaucrat could be an MCF collaborator.

The recent war – The Fringe War – saw the Federation Navy leave the sector under orders to withdraw, a decision made after gruesome fighting between various MCF subfactions and Navy ships that have come to remove them from their home-sector.
This however, was a pyrrhic victory from the perspective of both factions due to the amount of casualties sustained. The Federation Navy has achieved its goals: it has destroyed the enemy’s capability to wage war against the Federation. The MCF, too, have achieved their goal: The Fringe was once again outside of the influence sphere of the federation.

“The system is recovering. It will take time. The younger generation will study the errors of our past - we will teach them. In doing so we will set their path towards the stars and their minds to greatness” 

-G. Dreadling