Inheritance of Suns

Once there was a great and powerful Earth Republic that encompassed over a thousand stars and all of humankind. That was long ago. Human Space is fractured between scheming feudal lords and corrupt republics struggling for power. For every noble prince, a tyrannical duke. For every bright eyed senator, a bribed governor.   All eyes look back to the Earth, as there are whispers in the tradelanes that The Firmament, the ancient technology that shields the Earth from the rest of space is breaking down. The homeworld has been in seclusion for generations, and what it could do to the galaxy is anybody's guess. One thing is for certain. There will be war.