Terran Union Setting

Many centuries ago, the Great Exodus spread humanity across the stars; Earth seemed to empty and the colony-worlds expanded across known space. In the early days of interstellar travel, it was impossible for these worlds to easily contact Earth, or even one another, save in immediate the immediate neighborhood; everyone knew that there were others out there -- but, for all intents and purposes, all of them were alone.   Some worlds grew and prospered; some struggled to achieve some semblance of a life among the stars; some fell under the influence of then-unknown alien powers from beyond the void of space; and some, sadly, ceased to exist -- whether abandoned, or worse. It seemed like forever before Fifth Generation Crosslight drives bridged the gaps between the stars, bringing humanity back together once again -- even in their separation.   But these worlds had drifted apart; cultures had mixed and matched -- ideologies and philosophies had arisen and fallen. These worlds had centuries of their own history -- and were destined to clash with one another as they came into contact once again, but this was the last thing they could afford -- for threats from beyond the void had made themselves known at the edges of human-settled space. Despite their differences, these very different worlds had to draw together to face an existential threat -- and they answered it.   Six human worlds, spread out in different parts of human space, gathered representatves on the planet Taraz and created among themselves a single Union, with a single, protective Navy, to protect them not only from the alien menaces, but also from piracy and other interstellar crime. In a few short years, more human worlds had joined and, only seventeen years later, the Earth League itself joined the Union, beginning a groundswell across human space. Today, fifty-six human worlds - and even one alien world - have been admitted as full members, and further worlds are territories and protectorates of the Union.   But though the Union has grown, and its Navy flies the metaphorical flag across the Union and in known space beyond -- it is merely a union. Against a common threat, they will all unite -- but there are few common threats these days, and old rivalries still fester and new ones emerge amid the squabbling worlds of the Terran Union -- and within them.