Wastelander

Terrans who live in the wastelands on Earth are among the most hardy, fierce, and self-reliant of all Terrans. Unfortunately, they are often also the most backwards in their beliefs, and are typically cynical about humanity’s chances in the galaxy at large.
Those unfortunate masses caught in the suburban and rural areas of the planet when WWV broke out became lethally irradiated. In many cases, they caught The Source and died shortly thereafter. Those who lived did so through a makeshift, scavenging existence, as there was virtually no infrastructure. While several corporations attempted to render assistance, it became clear that the wastelanders did not want corporate assistance, blaming them, perhaps unfairly, for their predicament. Besides, the radiation wreaked havoc on most electronic equipment the corporations brought, rendering them useless rapidly. It was quickly ruled into law that The Source would not be covered by any medical insurance in the Colonies. As such, the wastelanders began to adapt to their new life in an apocalyptic wasteland.
Outside the domes, the various sections of Earth have been described by its inhabitants as resembling all manner of early Earth media depicting post-nuclear Earth environments. In most places, scattered factions compete for control over smaller, often backwards swathes of humanity and often the victors become anywhere from regional slavers or warlords to, in rare cases, semi-benevolent but resented organizations trying to impose order in the form of government.
There is no government or corporate oversight in the wasteland, so in some ways, Wastelanders are the most “free” of all Terrans. Of course, they are not allowed into the domes, or accepted off-planet except in extreme cases due to the likelihood of these Terrans being carriers of The Source. As they’ve grown used to living in radiated conditions for several generations now, while the radiation has mildly diminished, generally Wastelanders are on daily drugs, or genetically modified, to survive harsh atmospheres. They often have orange or reddish, bumpy skin, or even mild mutations. Of course, few doctors of consequence have deemed travel to the wasteland worth the risk simply to diagnose these illnesses, so many reported mutations likely go undocumented in Terran Systems archives.