The year is 2790. Humanity has expanded into the farthest reaches of the solar system. Currently there’s a cold war between the two largest powers in the solar system: The United Alliance and the Lunar Consortium.
This state of affairs originally started because of tensions over the Martian Federal Republic. Due to some actions by the Consortium, the Republic reached out to the Alliance for assistance. In response, the Alliance has blockaded Mars to keep the Consortium at bay. However, it has also installed its own personnel into the Republic’s government, effectively making it a protectorate of the Alliance. Even though the Consortium has access to the other planets and as well as the asteroid belt, the newly terraformed planet is a great asset the Consortium wants to get back. Things are on the verge and any overt action by either side will lead to war.
The Far Past
In the early 2020, the United States of America suffered another massive economic collapse. The markets froze and riots broke out in most major cities. It seemed as if the world was heading into complete economic meltdown, however, the current President, Malcolm Thompson, along with the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of Mexico announced the immediate combination of their individual nations into one political and economic body: The United Alliance. The Alliance quickly consolidated its power by annexing other nations in Western Hemisphere, sparking the Annexation Wars.
Years passed and finally the war ended with the majority of the world under Alliance control at the Treaty of New York in 2057. Other nations like China stayed out of the Alliance, but eventually they all joined, unable to compete with the new “Ultrapower” on the planet.
In 2080, the United Alliance began construction of orbital habitats at several of Earth’s La Grange Points. the first habitat became fully operational in 2095. At the same time, mining operations and colonies were also established on the moon and asteroids. Lastly, a remote colony was established on Mars with the intent of long term research into terraforming the planet.
In 2110, the last of the orbital habitats were completed. However, in 2115, there was a revolt on one of the Lunar colonies and it spread to the habitats. War once again raged, but this time in space and on Earth. The Lunar colonies and most of the habitats joined to form the Lunar Consortium. The Consortium and the Alliance ceased hostilities on April 17th, 2128. The Consortium was able to keep its Earth-side holdings, including Australia and the some of the southern portions of Africa as part of the Treaty of Sydney. However, the Alliance was able to keep a large foothold in space with the retention of the L5 orbital habitat and shipyard.
In 2150, the Martian Federal Republic was formed and terraforming of Mars was already underway. Also in 2150, the Zone Corporation began construction of the Jovian Station Rings encircling Jupiter.
The Jovian Rings were completed on September, 12th 2230. With the establishment of Jovian Flight Control to co-ordinate ship movements in the solar system, a rapid expansion outward to other planets in the solar system occurred. This culminated with the colonization of Pluto with a small research outpost on the outer most planetoid.
The Present
The Martian Republic completed their terraforming operations in 2750. The red planet is no longer red and instead resembles her sister Earth more closely.
Toward the end of terraforming the Republic began receiving overtures from the Lunar Consortium about joining. When the Republic refused, the Consortium started to harass the Republic’s ships throughout the system in some cases causing “accidents”. Unable to deal with the larger power, the Republic requested assistance from the United Alliance. Within a week, a large part of the 11th Fleet had blockaded Mars and were preventing Consortium traffic from reaching Mars.
And this is where our story begins.
